Under the Neverland Sky
by Jasperann
Summary: Set after the season 2 finale in Neverland. Emma/Hook start to fall in love in Neverland while searching for Henry. Only to find Neal instead. Rated Mature for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N ~ This is my first ever fanfic that I am publishing. I wrote a few in my 20s, but I was to shy to post them. I do not own these characters; I'm just taking them out and playing with them in my sandbox. I don't have a beta, all mistakes are my own and I apologize in advance for any I may have missed.**

**Chapter 1**

"I let you win." Hook offered up quietly as she passed by him on one of her rounds of walking around the top deck, out of boredom and a need for activity.

"What?!" Emma growled at the infuriating pirate, spinning back towards him. Hook had been on her last nerve since they had arrived in Neverland two weeks ago. It probably didn't help matters that she was itching for a fight, so she could expend some of this built up tension. The tension always seemed to be higher when he was in her proximity, and it wasn't like he had even done anything to piss her off since they had been here, no it was all her.

It was a combination of losing Henry and Neal all in the same week. On top of that, being stuck on a ship with Regina, Mr. Gold, her parents and of course Hook wasn't helping matters. The bickering that broke out as soon as they were through the portal was overwhelming. Everyone talking at once and everyone thinking their plan was the best one to bring Henry home. None of them have yielded any results yet; all of their searching and it hasn't turned up anything about Henry, not even any leads. There have been no signs of the Lost ones or Peter Pan. Gold and Hook had explained that he isn't the cute kid from the storybooks, that he is actually pretty evil. Go figure! It's not like any of the fairy tales have turned out to be like she had thought before coming to Storybrooke. Ruby being both the wolf and Little Red Riding Hood was a prime example and definitely not how that story went, she reflected shaking her head.

"I let you win," Hook repeated calmly bringing Emma out of her thoughts, "in the Enchanted Forest, that is, I let you win the sword fight."

"You did not" Emma huffed while rolling her eyes at him starting to turn back around dismissing his taunt. "I knocked you out cold with that compass buddy," she threw over her shoulder as she started to walk away.

"But," he said following her, clearly not finished, "if I didn't go easy on you love, you would have never gotten that compass. Face it. I. Let. You. Win." He smugly pointed out.

"Bullshit!" Emma spit out grabbing for the sword at her waist and turning towards him. She started carrying the sword when they arrived in Neverland at David's suggestion and she was happy she had it now. "Prove it," she hissed pointing her sword at his chest.

Within seconds her sword was flung across the deck and his dagger was at her throat. Hook standing to close for comfort and not even breathing hard. "I told you, darling, I let you win" he chuckled once again with that irritating smirk of his.

Emma felt her blood start to boil, "you caught me off guard, that wasn't fair!" she huffed, noticing her father, David, being held back by her mother, Mary Margret, or as some people knew them Prince Charming and Snow White.

She put her hand up to hold David off "I've got this, I'm fine," she told her father.

She strode across the deck and grabbed up her sword.

"Och, lass that wasn't enough proof for you?" Hook laughed drawing out his sword. "Okay, sweetheart lets make this fair."

They went to stand in the middle of the deck, swords drawn and facing each other. David and Mary Margret looking on as bystanders.

"Ready?" he taunted.

With a nod of her head she lunged for him swinging her sword for his mid section. He spun away from her and then faked a lunge for her, which had her reacting and blocking a blow that never came. It put her off balance and she stumbled, he was behind her with his hook at her neck before she knew what was happening.

"Dead" he whispered in her ear before releasing her.

"That was dirty fighting Hook." Emma stated glaring at him.

"Pirate," Hook replied pointing at his chest "why would you expect anything less, Swan? Could it be because I let you win before? Now you expect it? Tsk, tsk lass never forget what or who I am. I surely don't."

"Again" Emma countered slightly out of breath, lifting her sword again.

Hook lifted his sword and lunged for her. She staggered back and returned the blow cutting his jacket with her sword, smiling when she made contact. "You'll pay for that, love," he smiled back while returning the favor by cutting the arm of her jacket, but not touching her skin with his blade. Then he divested her of her sword again and it skidded across the deck stopping at her fathers' feet. He was at her neck with his sword held inches away from her throat and his hook on her side before she registered what happened.

"Dead" he repeated stepping back from her "your daughter needs more practice with the sword, Mate." He addressed her father with a wink. "I can help her handle a sword properly," he said suggestively as he looked at her from head to toe, making a small shiver travel up her body.

"Whatever, Hook" she rolled her eyes at him. _God she was doing that a lot today_ she thought. Her father started across the deck for him and grabbed him by his collar. "Watch your tone when you talk about or to my family," he growled inches from Hooks face.

"Right, Mate, or you'll shoot me in the face," Hook finished sarcastically, jerking his collar out of his hands and turning his back on David "what is it with your family and your love of violence?" Hook questioned Emma dismissing David with his actions.

"Just remember what I told you, _Mate_." David warned.

"Well, love it seems that we are quite done for today" Hook announced happily ignoring her fathers comment, "maybe we could have a private lesson another time, I promise that I can teach you so many things that you don't already know." He finished while smirking and raising his eyebrow in question at her and then turning to go back up to the helm.

"Not so fast," Emma retorted throwing herself onto his back, forgetting her sword in her frustration. She vaguely heard it hit the deck with a clang. But she was focusing all her attention on bringing Hook to the ground. She heard him grunt as he landed hard on the deck with her on his back. She winced for him instantly regretting her rash decision to attack him and slightly released her grip. Simultaneously, he took advantage of her second thoughts and had her under him and on her back in seconds.

"Now, I don't normally like a crowd watching, but if you insist Swan we can give it a go, I might like it." Hook purred into her ear sending her pulse racing and that shiver to the very core of her. Before she had a chance to reply his warmth and weight was abruptly pulled off of her. David threw him to the ground and proceeded to jump on top of him landing a few good punches before Mary Margret pulled him away trying to calm him down. Hook laughed and wiped away some blood from his lip, like it was all in fun, as though David was not trying to kill him a moment ago.

Emma reached down her hand in an offer to help Hook to his feet. Shaking her head in amusement at the fact her father was protecting her from what he deemed a threat. Like Hook would ever be a threat to her, well a bodily threat that is, she wasn't so sure about her heart anymore. He could very well break her all over again if she allowed it. But that brought thoughts of Neal to her mind and she had been avoiding thinking of him, there would be time for that after they found Henry, she assured herself. Just as there would be time to figure out what was happening between herself and Hook she hoped.

"Okay, lets call a truce Hook? Lets at least try to be friends." Emma smiled a rueful smile still holding her hand out to him. Most of the tension in her body receded, like the waves in a storm that crash into the ship only to retreat after unleashing their fury. Hook always seemed to know what she needed and this 'fight' had released a lot of her pent up tension. Although, if she was honest with herself it had added to that other kind of tension she refused to acknowledge, that tension that is always in the air when Hook is around. It felt like electricity between them. Some day it would explode between them, she only hoped she was ready for it when it happened.

"On one condition Swan," Hook said reaching for her hand "you allow the Prince and myself train you on how to properly use a sword, I won't have you getting killed because you don't know how to defend yourself."

"Deal" Emma replied pulling him to his feet. He held onto her hand for a few seconds to long, and she let him while she fell into his eyes. Rapidly blinking trying to break the connection she felt to him.

**A/N ~ So what do you think? Want more? I have a multi chapter fic planned out for this story if you all are interested in reading it. =D**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N – Just as a fair warning, this chapter doesn't have a lot of Emma in it. But it is needed to move the story in the direction I am taking it. We will be back to Emma's POV in the next chapter. Once again, I do not own any of these characters; I just like to play with them in my sandbox. I do not have a beta, any mistakes are all mine.**

**Thank you so much for the reviews of the last chapter. They mean so much to me! {{Hugs}}**

Chapter 2

It had been a month since Hook had admitted to Emma that he had let her win that sword fight in the Enchanted forest. What he said was true, he didn't want to see her die because she thought she could fight, Neverland held to many dangers for someone that had never been here before, and he was going to do his best to keep her safe. Besides it had the added bonus of letting Emma unwind, she had clearly needed it if her stomping around the deck that morning had been any indication.

But that wasn't what had him leaving his cabin and heading topside in the middle of the night. No, that would be other thoughts of Emma or nightmares to be honest. He kept having this nightmare that they find Henry, which wouldn't be a nightmare by its self. It was the horrific events that follow in the nightmare; they are running hand and hand through the dark forest back to his ship with Henry, exhausted but happy, when Peter Pan himself appears in front of them blocking their path. Emma thrusts Henry and him behind her prepared to use her magic to save them, that is when Peter Pan reaches out and rips her shadow from her body leaving her screaming in pain and falling to the ground. "NO!" He screamed throwing himself down to the ground next to her, both Peter Pan and Henry forgotten in his fear. He woke up in a cold sweat knowing that there was nothing he could do to save her and she would soon die without her shadow attached, a feeling of helplessness engulfing him, his mind still trapped within the nightmare.

Emerging topside to the cool ocean breeze helped to ease his mind, until his gaze fell onto his first personal demon, Rumpelstiltskin. He silently cursed under his breath and headed to the helm, trying to avoid the demon or whatever he was.

"Nightmares, Hook?" Rumple inquired in a knowing tone. Hook stopped in his tracks and turned slowly on his heel to face the monster that took his love from him all those years ago.

"What do you know of that?" Hook said studying his impish face closely for any clues of what he knew.

Rumple giggled and with a flourish of his hands a magical item appeared on a crate next to him. It appeared to be a looking glass. "I know more than you think, Dearie." Rumple picked up the looking glass and examined it like it was the first time he had seen it.

"I'm not interested in your games," Hook muttered his jaw setting in anger, "I may have let my revenge go to save Swan's boy, but that does not mean that I will do anything but tolerate your presence aboard my ship." He declared glaring at the Imp.

"Oh, you misunderstand, no games here." Rumple quipped in his shrill voice, his voice had changed along with is skin when they emerged through the portal in Neverland; this was the Dark One that he remembered. _The coward dressed up in magic_, Hook reflected.

"No?" Hook drawled biting his lip and widening his eyes in mock surprise, "then what is that for?" he gestured to the small looking glass.

"This?" Rumple chirped, "This is my way of seeing what has passed." He caressed it lovingly like it held a great many secrets.

"What does that have to do with my nightmares? Have you cursed me? Is killing my love not enough for you?" Hook snarled, the only thing holding him back from attacking him is the knowledge that he wouldn't survive the attack. He had to be alive to help Emma find her son.

"I don't need to curse you, Hook" Rumple stated completely serious, all impishness evaporated from his tone, "you acquired a curse all on your own at some point in your life, I must not be the only one that wanted you to suffer."

"What are you talking about?" he implored, "What curse?" He had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach at Rumples statement. There wasn't a question in Rumples tone, he knew something, and he was going to tell him or Hook would offer him to the mermaids, with or without his promise of a truce.

"You have been cursed to live your life alone. You will never find your happiness." Rumple announced with surprisingly very little glee.

"You are making no sense," Hook complained cocking his to the side, "that has nothing to do with my nightmare or as far as I can see anything to do with that. . . . . _thing_." He gestured at the looking glass Rumple still held in his hand.

"This will provide the proof I see you need, so that you will believe me." He waved his free hand in front of the glass and held it out facing him. Hooks gaze was instantly transfixed on the looking glass.

'A picture started to form in the glass, of a time long ago after Bae had left him in Neverland the first time. He had gone to the fairies to find out where the Lost Ones had taken Bae; his guilt for handing him over to them in the first place had been eating at him. Mr. Smee had tried to talk him out of it, and he should have listened. He knew the fairies were spiteful creatures, with fleeting alliances. But he had been desperate to rescue him from the fate he had sentenced him to. The whole thing had blown up in his face, like many things seemed to do. He had pissed off a spiteful fairy named Tinker Bell when he didn't bring her the proper color ribbon, and she had went to Peter Pan and told him of Hooks plans. He had thought that was all that she had done. But it seems that she also put a curse on him.'

Well, he thought, he had definitely been doing that for more years than he could remember; he couldn't remember a time where he wasn't suffering or alone. No, that was a lie, when he was with Emma he forgot about everything. His only thought to make her notice him, as though he was desperate for her attention. Was that why he was having nightmares about her having her shadow ripped from her? He knew what that did to someone; he had seen it happen to a few of his fellow pirates. They had died in agony and there was nothing that he had been able to do to prevent it. Did that mean that he cared for her more than he told himself, did he think of her as more than just a distraction? He would examine that later, when he didn't have to deal with the Dark One.

"So, Dearie, I have a deal for you, I will remove your curse and you will owe me a favor, just one _single_ favor." Rumple grinned gesturing at Hooks form with his free hand; like it was an item of clothing he could just have Hook remove.

"A deal?" Hook repeated feeling unsure. He knew it was stupid to make deals with the devil. But if he could love and be loved again, if he could just not be alone, it was almost worth it even for a day. Just almost, "What sort of favor?" He questioned him, looking up at him with his eyebrows drawn down in thought.

"Oh, a simple one I'm sure, I'm a simple man." Rumple lied with glee.

"You could do this, it won't be a trick of yours?" He questioned still not convinced.

"I can." He said simply, standing taller.

"How will I know it worked?" Hook asked his long time demon, not believing that he was actually going to do this.

"Don't worry about that, you will feel it as soon as the curse is lifted" he giggled falling back to his impish voice and gestured with his hands, the looking glass disappearing into a puff of purple smoke as he did so.

"Fine, just get it over with," Hook commanded closing his eyes tight. Waiting for the pain he expected, instead he felt warmth encase him and he could see a bright light beyond his eyelids. He felt as though he was floating and a weight had been lifted from his soul, and then Rumples insane giggle broke through his thoughts.

"It is done!" Rumple chortled in joy, "I will let you know when I want that favor." With that he took his cane that had been leaning on the crate and made his way below deck. It filled Hook with unease, but there was nothing to be done about it now. He would deal with the devil when he had too.

**A/N ~ What is the favor Rumple is going to want from Hook? Oh no, it can't be good. What did you guys think? I promise this was a very needed chapter. I'm so excited about this story. Reviews feed my muse, and makes her happy. I have chapter 3 almost completed and it should be up tomorrow.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N ~ My muse has gone crazy and is pushing me to write every spare moment I have. Hope you all enjoy this chapter. Once again, I own nothing but the ideas in my head. I just like to take the characters and play with them in my sandbox. I also do not have a beta so any mistakes I may have missed are completely mine, please forgive me.**

**Chapter 3 - Emma's POV**

The next morning, Hook arrived on the deck, much later in the morning than was normal, and it drew her attention to him, she raised her hand in greeting. He awkwardly raised his hand in return and continued to the helm. Her father joining him there, to talk about their search for that day, she supposed. She glanced around for her mother, and found her in the birds' nest with her bow and arrow, and telescope viewing the island they were headed for. It was one they hadn't searched yet, so she had hope that they would find something.

"Miss Swan," Regina broke in "kindly stop mooning over the pirate and focus your attention back to the matter on hand." She finished gesturing with her head back to the ball of magic she held in her hands.

"Oh come on!" Emma denied, "I was just waving, and no one says mooning anymore" she rolled her eyes at Regina's use of slang. The more time she spent with the woman practicing her magic, the more aware she was of her using it.

"Ladies" Mr. Gold began, his true golden color, strange voice, and habits still creped her out a little. "Can we please get back to business?" he queried in his old tone, he seemed to know she was unnerved by his voice and appearance and most of the time spoke to her how he did before they came to Neverland. But she could overhear him with the others, and he was what Mary Margret had explained he was before the curse brought everyone to Storybrooke, The Dark One.

"Now, Emma, place your hands like I instructed you to, on either side of the magic." Regina continued all business lifting her hands that still held the magic. Emma did as instructed and immediately felt the hum of magic in her finger tips, slowly warming her hands and flowing up her arms and through her body. It felt blissful, and although it had been a long time, reminded her of the afterglow of really good sex. That had her glancing towards Hook in consideration, breaking her concentration as soon as their eyes met across the deck, his eyebrow raising in question.

"Oh for gods sake, Miss Swan!" Regina exclaimed in frustration, because of Emma's lack of attention.

"What!" Emma snapped as a small burst of uncontrolled golden magic pulsed out of her, and pushed Regina and Mr. Gold back. "What in the hell was that?" she gasped a look of shock on her face.

"That, my dear, were your feelings protecting you," drawled Mr. Gold "it appears you felt threatened by us in some way."

"Threatened? From you two?" she breathed, "I just lost concentration for a minute that is all. I didn't feel threatened by anything."

"I think you need a break from training today my dear, we will pick up where we left off tomorrow." Mr. Gold commented, looking in Hooks direction in contemplation then returning his unsettling gaze back to her. Regina stood next to him deep in thought with a scowl on her face and only nodded her agreement before walking away, the click of her boots on the deck the only sound she made before heading below deck.

Leaving Emma with no choice but to agree with their decision she made her way to where her father and Hook still stood deep in conversation. It was strange; before they had started training her with the sword they were at each other's throats both physically and with words. But it was like they came together for a common purpose and put their distaste for one another aside to come up with a plan to teach her what she needed to know. That isn't to say that they didn't still end up rolling around the ground punching each other every now and then. Especially if David overheard Hook make a comment towards her that he didn't like. Which was slightly less now if she was honest. Maybe he was losing interest in her in that way, she considered, the thought made her feel out of sorts and she didn't know why.

"Princess" Hook addressed her with a nod of his head. Which earned him a glare. So that was how today was going to go, she mused. He knew she hated that title, even if it was true.

"Captain" she nodded, putting distance between them with out moving an inch. David looked between them with a raised brow. "What?" Emma snapped at her fathers look. God, was she PMSing? What was wrong with her? "I'm sorry Dad, I'm just on edge today, this search might turn up some clues. Mr. Gold said that he got the globe working again and it is pointing to this island." His look softened on her face when she called him dad. She didn't do it often enough, she guessed, it was just all still so new.

"I understand Emma, I think we are all on edge today." Her father acknowledged. "Hook and I were just discussing the plan once we make land." He continued, "This time, we are going to split up in teams of two to cover more ground. Your mom and I will go together, Regina and Rumple will pair up, and then Hook and yourself will be the finale team." With that last part Emma's eyes flew to Hooks. He was already looking at her, studying her face for her reaction.

"You okay with that darling?" he asked.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Emma replied looking down at her shirt and brushing nonexistent dirt from it. But her stomach twisted in anticipation or fear, with the thought of being completely alone with him, she wasn't sure which it was.

"Land Ho!" she heard her mother call down from where she was, waving her hands and pointing in the direction of the island that they all could see. Her mother had really taken to life on a pirate ship, and would often use words or terms she had learned from talking with Hook. It made her smile in memory at some of the things Mary Margret had taken to saying, like, 'shake a leg' apparently that meant get out of bed or 'full to the gunwales' meaning full to the brim. They all sounded so amusing coming from her lips, not the sort of thing she pictured her mother saying at all.

Moving to the port side of the ship Emma gazed at the island that might hold her son. _I'm coming for you_, she promised, _I will never give up_. Hook stepped next to her placing his hand on the railing close to hers. "We will find him, love, we will never give up looking." He echoed her promise to herself just moments ago. She looked at him from the corner of her eye, studying his profile, this man that knew her so well and seemed to get behind her walls every chance he had. Even if he had seemed a little distant lately, him out of everyone on the ship seemed to know her best. He distracted her to no end when he was in the same space as she was, sometimes even when he wasn't. Not that she would ever let him know that, she wouldn't give him that advantage over her. With her study of his profile, she noticed that he had trimmed his beard a little since yesterday, but his hair blew in disorder in the wind. Hers probably didn't look much better; it was always tangled when she tried to run her hand through it.

"Thank you for that" she replied placing her hand on his with a smile, sending a shock of awareness to her toes. She quickly drew her hand away and felt an emptiness fill her at the lose contact. He was looking at her strangely and she suddenly wished she could trust in herself to read him as well as he read her. "It was a kind thing to say, I know we pulled you into this."

"Lass, I don't do things I don't want to do. No one 'pulled' me into anything, I am here because I desire to be here. I came back to be part of something, like _you_ promised." He made known, turning fully towards her and searching her face for understanding. She avoided his eyes as the butterflies took flight in her stomach at the reminder that he, out of everyone in her life, had come back for her.

For the town, she amended, chiding her silly thoughts; no one came back for her.

"Honey," her mother came up behind her breaking into her thoughts and placing her hand on her shoulder. Her cheeks were pink from the wind and her eyes alive with excitement for their search. "Are you ready? We will find Henry; with us on his side it is only a matter of time before we have him back home safe and sound. Good always wins." She finished gazing at the island with hope on her face.

**A/N ~ Aww, Snow is always so positive, I just wanna hug her. Please review and let me know what you think so far! ** **I will be updating each day until at least chapter 7. I will probably have more written by then too. **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N - As always these characters belong to Adam and Eddy. I just like to play with them in my sandbox. I do not have a Beta, any mistakes I may have missed are all mine. This was a fun chapter to write. Hope you love it.**

**Chapter 4**

**Hook POV**

"Milady" Hook teased winking at Snow as he helped her out of the rowboat they brought to shore. She took his hand smiling and rolling her eyes at his small way of trying to get under the her husbands skin. She was too perceptive for her own good. While he was helping Snow out of the boat Emma climbed over the edge and splashed through the shallow water to shore. Regina used her magic to move herself from the boat to the shore in a puff of smoke. He supposed that the Queen could have managed that in the first place rather than have them row her extra weight in the boat. He took the rope and anchored the boat to a near by tree, so it would be there when they returned to it after their search.

Taking control the Prince ignored his teasing and finished what he had been saying moments before "—so we will met back here before night fall, if you arrive before the rest of us just wait for us." If you run into trouble start a fire so that we will be able to see the smoke from the shore and will be able to find you. "Everyone ready?"

A round of agreement went around the group and they set out in pairs, one group in each direction.

"I have never seen the Lost Ones on this island before" Hook commented to Emma's back as she strode further into the forest. He could see in the line of her back her determination to find her son or some clue of him. "Easy lass, you don't want to wear yourself out, you won't last the day."

"I'm fine Hook," she said over her shoulder with a reassuring smile at him. He had reservations after his nightmare from last night, in searching this island alone with her. But if she were going to be in danger, he would be there to protect her. Not her mom, dad, the Queen or Rumpelstiltskin, just him. "What is bugging you today anyway?" Emma inquired.

_Besides the deal with the devil he had made last night or the shock of electricity he felt when she touched his hand,_ he thought mockingly. "I'm fine Swan." He repeated her words back at her.

"Okay don't tell me then, I don't need you to, you are something of an open book." Emma divulged repeating words he had said to her on their first adventure together. Her words brought back memories of bandaging her hand, working together to take down the giant, talking, being quite the team, and her betrayal, he winced in memory of the last bit.

That had hurt, the hours he spent talking with the giant, Anton, before he let him go had been spent talking about her. Anton had given him the bean he wore around his neck so that he would have a reminder of his adventure with her. Anton had said he no longer needed it, because he realized not all humans were monsters. Hook was just thankful that he never knew he had a part in kidnapping the giant and bringing him to Storybrooke. That would probably ruin any chance at a friendship they had built.

Shaking his head to bring himself back to the present he realized he hadn't answered Emma and she was stopped and staring at him with one of his smirks mimicked on her lips. She was getting good at that, he realized with a little bit of pride. "Do I need to pester you with questions like you did on the beanstalk Hook, or are you going to tell me?"

"There is nothing to tell, love."

"Okay," she paused chewing on her bottom lip in thought. "I will guess then, it will make the time go by faster as we walk." He groaned in mock protest and started after her retreating form.

"Lets see" he hears float back to him on the gentle breeze with her sent. "You feel guilty for taking off with the only bean we had back in Storybrooke." She glanced back at him to make sure he was still there and listening. "But you see Hook, if you had stayed and we put the fail safe into a portal, we wouldn't have had a bean to follow after Henry and we probably would have destroyed some other land. How would that have been any different than letting Storybrooke be destroyed?" She said like she had put a lot of thought into the issue. It left him speechless, that she could sense that he had guilt about that and was trying to make him feel better about it. Granted it wasn't what was bothering him now, but it had been on his mind more than once over the month and a half they had been in Neverland.

They continued in a comfortable silence for a while before he heard her say anything else. "Hmmm, so that isn't what is bothering you today…" she turned and started walking backwards on the straight path in front of us. She studied his face openly. "How about," she paused again putting her finger to her lips "I've got it, you feel guilty for putting me in the same room as my parents to sleep... You should, I may be all grown up but their 'interactions' make me a little uncomfortable when I walk in on them." She chided her eyes sparkling with laughter.

"Och, darling if you don't like those sleeping arrangements, you are more than welcome to share my bed." He assured her; only half jokingly while he approached her now still form and placed a strand of her hair over her shoulder grazing her bare shoulder with his fingers in the process. The laughter died in her eyes and was replaced with what he thought was desire, before he seen her wall go back up to shut him out.

"Lets just focus on finding some clues of Henry." Emma hastened to say turning back around on the path.

A couple hours later he heard a breaking of a twig near by. He reached out his hook and looped it into a loop in her trousers pulling her back to him while holding his hand over her mouth to keep her silent. Walking them backwards into the darkness of the forest, still holding on to her. He gestured for her to crouch down next to him behind the cover of a bush. They both watched the path they just vacated in silence, breath held in their lungs. Her eyes wide in fear of what they would see. A tick later Hook watched as a deer ran down the path. The breath left their mouths indistinguishable from one another. He breathed in again and let out a sigh then looked at Emma, realizing how close they were to each other. He could feel the heat of her body radiating towards him. His eyes drifted to her mouth, she licked her lips while his gaze took in her now shining lips. He felt himself lean slightly into her, willing her to meet him half way. She leaned forward and slanted her lips onto his with a small gasp. He felt the electricity between them, as soon as their lips met, her magic circled in the air around them spreading it's warmth to him, drawing him closer. They fit together like two pieces of a puzzle. He drew her body flush against his holding her tight, like he would wake up and she would be nothing more than a dream.

The next thing he felt was her hand coming between them pushing him away. He broke off the kiss in a daze, staring at her in question, his breath coming hard. But she was turning from him and moving towards the path.

_She was running from him_, he thought.

Then he heard what she had heard, voices. It was a group of voices, a few of them familiar ones.

"Mulan, slow down!" he heard Aurora call out. "Mulan! Wait for us," he heard a male voice call out shortly after Aurora.

"I heard something and it came from this direction." He listened to Mulan say in her all business tone. He groaned, the last time he seen that pair he had given Aurora's heart back to Mulan. He had thought to never see either one of them again. Mulan emerged from the way they had been heading and abruptly stopped when she spotted Emma.

Emma froze in her spot, staring at Mulan in shock. "What are you doing here?" she asked in wonder.

"Emma? Hook?" Mulan questioned in surprise, Philip came around the bend in the path stopping short and drawing his sword. He approached them cautiously, his sword in his hand, but still near his side.

"Mulan?" He asked looking to Mulan for an answer.

"Philip, this is Emma the woman we told you about, and you might remember the 'blacksmith' that came to our camp before we left on our journey, this is Hook" she finished in distaste gesturing at Hook. Aurora came up short behind the other two with a man following close behind her.

"Mulan, why did you take off like th—" Aurora trailed off looking from Emma to him.

"Neal!" Emma gulped in complete shock. "You are alive!"

Hook's gaze flew between the two as they ran for each other, both smiling and talking at the same time. He had clearly been forgotten. He averted his gaze from the two of them, running his finger absently over his lip remembering the kiss he had just shared with the woman currently in another man's arms.

_Right_, he mused, _it wasn't anything more than a kiss, the magic he felt was just his imagination_. He had no right to be feeling this tightness in his chest. He shouldn't feel like striding over to _Neal _and taking Emma from his arms. She was a woman, not a possession, if he wasn't what she wanted he would not force himself on her.

"Well, I hate to break up this _reunion_ but darkness is going to be falling soon, and we need to make it back to the beach before nightfall." Hook broke in. Emma looked at him for the first time since leaving his arms and quickly looked away.

"You can come with us" Emma offered to the group, "we have plenty of room for you all."

"Right, the more the merrier" Hook agreed sarcastically turning on his heel and leading the way back to the beach. He carried a pace that prevented talking if the group wanted to keep up. He just needed to get back to his ship and his rum.

**A/N - Yeah, so I'll just leave this here... **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N ~ THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the follows/favorites/reviews and messages. You guys are seriously the best. **

**I know how you all feel about Neal being back, I feel the same way...but my muse, she had other ideas... I think she might be evil. ;D As always I own none of these characters. **

**Chapter 5**

**Emma's POV**

Hook had disappeared below deck as soon as the now larger group arrived back on the Jolly Roger. Emma hadn't been able to talk to him about what happened with all the extra people around. She wasn't avoiding it on purpose; she just didn't want everyone to know about it. It was to new, she hadn't even had time to examine what the kiss meant, but it had to be more than just a kiss. It had _felt _like more than a kiss; it had felt like some of her walls came down and tried to pull him behind them. Although, with the way Hook had acted since running into the other group, she wasn't as sure of herself. She knew that he hadn't been happy that she invited the group to the ship, but honestly what was she suppose to do? Neal was Henry's dad; she couldn't just leave him _stranded_ in Neverland, what kind of person would she be if she did?

Earlier, when they had arrived back to the beach, David and Mary Margret were already there waiting, and lots of hugs and conversation had ensued. Mulan and Aurora told the tale of how they got Philips soul back, and how it had lead them here. Shortly after they had gotten his soul back they found Neal washed up on shore. During that whole time she had tried to get Hook to meet her eyes, so she could silently convey that they needed to talk. But he avoided her gaze and positioned himself as far from her as he could, she was sure that if she poured water over his head he would steam he seemed so angry. About an hour after they were back and all the stories had been told, Mr. Gold and Regina emerged from the trees. Mr. Gold stopped in shock at seeing his son alive, but no tears fell and he didn't approach his son. Could he have known this is who they would find? After all she wouldn't put it past him, she thought shaking her head to clear it of all that had happened since they found the group.

She was on her way to talk to Hook, when Neal grabbed her by the arm. "We need to talk," he demanded pulling her to the bow of the ship. She let him steer her away from the rest of the group. Knowing that it was true, they did need to talk. The last time she had seen him she had told him she loved him, that she needed him even. She would have said anything to keep him from letting her hand go and leaving Henry without a father. But she wasn't 'in love' with him and if he thought about it he wasn't 'in love' with her either. He never found her, he let her go because he was afraid of facing his father, how could that possibly be love? Then the final blow was that he found home with someone else.

"How could you?" he turned on her "I told you not to let Henry grow up like we did and you let him go!"

"What?" she said in disbelief, stunned that he would blame her for Henry being kidnapped. "How can you say that?" she stammered, why did he always have this effect on her. He made her feel like she was 17 all over again. She hated it.

"Isn't it obvious? I can't believe you did this!" Neal barked.

"I am not going to stand here and argue with you over this. I've got more important things to do." Emma stated starting to walk away.

"Yeah, like running to Hook." He sneered to her retreating back. "Don't think I didn't notice the way you looked at him back on the island. He's a pirate Emma, he will never truly care for you."

She spun around to face him "_Hook_, offered to help find our _son_, he is doing this of his own free will and has asked for nothing in return." She yelled at him reaching her breaking point, "and _IF_ there was blame to place for Henry being _kidnapped_ it would lay at your feet Neal, not mine. You brought Tamara to Storybrooke, you didn't believe in me when I told you that she was up to something, in fact you _laughed_ in my face and you gave up when you let go of my hand." She finished with tears in her eyes while turning to leave.

"Emma wait." Neal sighed his anger evaporated.

She ignored him and went to find Hook below deck.

She knocked on Hooks closed cabin door, but no answer came. She slowly opened the door to his room it was completely dark.

"Hook?" she whispered "Are you in here?" her eyes strained to see in the darkness. She made her way to his desk where she knew a candle was, picked it up, and lit it. Illuminating the darkness, the room was empty. She let out a sigh of frustration, deciding to wait for him.

She found herself browsing his desk out of curiosity, it was the first time she had been alone in his room. She was fascinated. Parts of Hook were a mystery for her and she was soaking in everything she could find. She picked up a folded piece of cloth that looked well worn; she unfolded it to reveal a beautiful woman staring back at her, it was obviously the love he had lost, Milah. She suddenly felt uncomfortable with her snooping. Setting down the picture she blew out the candle and silently left his room heading to her own room for the night.

**Hooks POV**

He walked back to his cabin, from his hiding place between the barrels, and empty bottle of rum under his arm and a new unopened one in his hand. Earlier, he hadn't made it further than getting a new bottle out of the crate he kept them in, before he opened it, took a long drink and slid to the floor.

Prepared to drink until he passed out.

He had decided while pulling out the new bottle to go back to his cabin and pass out in comfort, instead of in the dark storage room.

He opened his cabin door and walked over to the desk in the dark, placing the bottles onto the flat surface before reaching for his candle. _Had he moved it_, he wondered in confusion when his hand met empty air. He stood still for a few minutes letting his eyes adjust to the filtered darkness, and reached for the candle when he saw it's shape on the left side of his desk. Why would he have put it there?

He couldn't focus though the haze of alcohol, and just shrugged it off while lighting the candle and carrying it over to the small window seat that Milah had insisted be made so she had a peaceful place to draw. At the thought of his lost love he went back to the desk and opened the new bottle taking a long drink, he happened to look down while wiping his mouth on his sleeve and noticed her picture laying open on his desk. When did he take that out of the desk drawer, he wondered. Hook picked it up and stared at it for a moment before placing it back down on the desk. Walking back to the window seat with his new bottle of rum, he instead thought of Emma's golden hair, green eyes, and beautiful smile. He would like a picture of her, he thought absently, taking another long drink of the rum.

He heard a knocking at his cabin door; his eyes focused on the door and he intentionally slurred his words "The doors open."

The door opened revealing a hesitant Emma. "Can I come in?" she asked with her hand on the door, ready to leave if he refused.

"Sure," he nodded coming to his feet "Drink?" he held the bottle out to her.

She crinkled her nose in distaste at his offer, like the thought of drinking after him didn't appeal to her as if her lips had not been on his a few hours earlier. "No, thanks." He shrugged and set the bottle down, stepping towards her.

"I wanted to 'talk' to you, about earlier." She confided, circling him and trailing her finger across his back and shoulders. It felt off and very familiar at the same time, something was wrong, but he couldn't focus. She grazed her hand across his chest as she completed her circle, standing close.

"So, talk" Hook answered, in his head he was picturing her in _Neal's_ arms again. His jealousy came to the surface and made him lose his patience "what could you possibly need to say to me in the middle of the night, Swan?" he bit out.

"Shhhh" she breathed holding her finger tip against his lips. His tongue instinctively darted between his lips to taste her fingertip. Why did he think there was something off? She was picking him after all, and he felt his heart start to beat faster.

She pressed her body against his and took his lips in a passionate kiss.

Only there was no spark, no heat, and no magic he felt absolutely nothing. He pulled back instantly on guard only to find the Queen standing in front of him.

"Now, that I have your attention Hook" she smiled, "Ms. Swan, will never care for you, you do know that don't you" she stepped back from him with a wicked smile on her lips. "So, stop pinning over her, you are making a fool out of yourself, she will never choose you over Rumpelstiltskins' son. You are a pirate, Hook, in all rights you are the _villain_ of your story. While she is the savior, she is the _hero_ of her story. You don't mix."

His jaw clenched and he glared at her his eyes turning dark. But he couldn't disagree with anything she had said, he knew she was right, and it killed him.

"Get your head out of your ass and focus on our mission of finding MY SON." She jabbed him in the chest with her finger emphasizing the 'my son' part. Then she slowly walked the short distance to his desk, trailed her fingers along the edge and then picked up Milah's picture looking at it for a moment and then laid it back down on the desk. "In case this didn't convince you, I'll leave you a gift to remind you" she said pulling a book from her jacket and placing it on the desk. Without looking at him she turned and left him alone in his cabin.

He took a step towards the desk, to view the books title, '_Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie'. _

**A/N – Sad by Maroon 5 really affected the last part of this chapter. Regina has really reverted to the Evil Queen huh? Poor Killy, what are we going to do with these two? If you need me I'll be in hiding... If you didn't like Neal being around I can imagine you like the Queen kissing Hook even less. lol**


	6. Chapter 6

** A/N - Just wanted to say I love you all, even if you are shy and haven't posted a review yet. Just let me love you! I'm so glad you guys have continued to read this far. I'm so full of feelings this morning. So you get the update 5 hours early today. I wrote chapter 8 last night (I was sleep deprived, so I'm sure there will be lots of edits) and I just started chapter 9. My chapters keep getting longer... not sure if that is a good thing or not. lol **

**Once again, sadly I own none of these characters, although I wished I did. I do not have a beta, any and all mistakes that are still around are completely mine.**

**Chapter 6**

"Swan!" Hook bellowed from the helm at her across the deck. She looked up towards where he was standing, his face unreadable with the sun at his back.

If she didn't know any better she would say Hook was jealous, of Neal of all people. He had just placed his hand on her arm a minute before Hook had yelled for her. Neal had done a complete 180 after the events of Henry being kidnapped had been revealed in detail. Now, he found any opportunity to touch her, like he was doing now his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged off Neal's touch and headed up to where Hook was standing.

It had been two weeks since they had kissed, she had woken up the next morning determined to talk to him and approached him about it. He had brushed her off, with a chuckled comment "Love I _am_ a _pirate_, that is only one of my talents" he winked "if you'd like I could show you more of them. But don't get ideas of love and happy endings; I'm not interested in either." Since then he had held her at arms length, he avoided being alone with her. Even when they searched for Henry, he searched with Regina and Mr. Gold of all people. Leaving her to search with Mulan and Neal, while Philip stayed behind with a seasick Aurora.

"Captain?" she replied with the title she had gone to when he started calling her nothing but Swan.

"When we reach the island, you and I are going to go on a scouting expedition. Everyone else will stay behind on the ship. It will go faster and we will be able to see if the Lost Ones have been there recently." He announced raising an eyebrow at her. Stunned she blinked at him a couple times trying to decide if she had heard him correctly.

"O-okay." She replied stumbling over the word. Her heart started beating faster at the thought of being alone with him again after two weeks. Remembering the magical kiss they had shared, _like she would ever forget_, she wet her lips with her tongue looking to her feet. At least she had _thought_ it was magical. If Hook was to be believed, it was a normal everyday kiss for him. What ever it was, _she_ finally knew she wanted more of them, even without happily ever after or any promises of love, she would take it. She brought her eyes back to his face and caught him staring at her mouth. She smiled slightly seeing that she affected him, at least a little bit. "Okay, I will go gather the things we will need." She said more firmly, slowly backing away while watching him.

An hour later they had left the ship behind and started their mini adventure. Emma felt awkward and shy being alone with Hook again. She wasn't sure what to say to make conversation. His command that she be the one to scout with him had caught her off guard after his vigilance in avoiding her on the ship.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" she blurted out before she could stop herself. Her breath caught in her throat waiting for his answer.

"I haven't been avoiding you, love-." Hook responded with a smile. _He called her love_, she thought not hearing the rest of what he said.

Emma stared at him a moment before finding her voice. "What did you just say?" she asked bewildered.

"Well, the ship is just so full of people and –"

"No, Hook, what did you just call me?" She breathed her heart in her throat.

He looked at her in confusion, "What did I call you?" He asked like he didn't know what she was talking about a smirk on his lips.

"You just called me love. You haven't called me anything but Swan for the past two weeks and you just called me love!"

"Oh that, well with Henry's father around it just didn't seem proper to –"

"Bullshit! You don't care about what is proper!" she cut him off.

"I am always a gentleman as well as a pirate, love," he teased. "How many times must I tell you that?"

"Oh god, lets just go" Emma rolled her eyes at him realizing she wasn't going to get a serious answer from him now. She hiked the backpack further onto her shoulder and picked a direction to head.

They walked for what felt like miles making small meaningless conversation. When they emerged to the view of a beautiful lagoon. She was hot and sweaty from the hike and was eager to wash some of it away and refresh herself in the water. She dropped the backpack at the edge of the clearing and started shedding her boots and clothes down to her bra and panties. They covered as much as a bikini did and she was in desperate need of cooling off. She glanced at Hook who had been silently watching her undress in shock. "You going to join me?" she inquired playfully. She heard him swear under his breath before removing his boots, jacket and shirt. He left his leather pants on and she raised her eyebrow in question.

"Uh, you would see more than what you bargained for lass" Hook confessed and she flushed red in understanding.

"Right!" she squeaked and headed for the water, intent on cooling her flushed skin off. He followed a few steps behind her transfixed by her swaying hips.

She sighed in happiness when she reached the water walking out to her knees and cupping the water to poor over her head. Emma chanced a glance back at him over her shoulder and he was standing at the edge of the water watching her. Seeing him shirtless with the sun hitting his chest, like he had removed part of his armor, shot a powerful shock of lust through her. It was stronger than any she had felt before, coiling in her belly ready to be unleashed. She moaned low in her throat beckoning him to her. He stood bewitched by her actions, and then his face froze in horror.

"Emma, come back to shore" he whispered urgently staring at a point behind her in the water. Confused she followed his gaze and he was standing in the water about waist deep in front of her, water dripping from his form with a devious smirk on his handsome face.

"Hook" she breathed "How –"

"Emma" she heard her name shouted from the shore behind her, "get out of the water!" Hook called franticly, his mouth never moving to form the words.

Hook raised his hand beckoning her to him and she took a single step before she felt a strong hand grabbing her by the arm and pulling her from the water. She fought the hold trying to get back to Hook. She felt like her life depended on it.

A weight landed on top of her crushing her to the sand, she gasped in pain still struggling. Then she felt something being slid onto her middle finger and heavy breathing from behind her. The weight lifted from her body after the ring had been placed on her hand. She flipped over and saw that it had been Hook that had crushed her to the ground. She sat up in confusion, looking towards the water to see a group of monsters shrieking at the shore in anger. Hook reached down his hand and helped her to her feet, a look of relief on his face.

"Wh-what happened?" Emma asked in bewilderment looking at Hook.

"Gods Emma, that was to close," he said reaching his hand up to gently touch her face "the mermaids almost had you."

"Mermaids" she repeated stupidly looking at the shrieking monsters in the water. "Hook that isn't what I seen." She gestured to the monsters.

"I know they appear as beautiful creatures to tempt you into deeper water with them, I should have given you this protection from them a long time ago." He uttered lifting her right hand up to show her the charm he had placed on her finger, gently caressing her hand with his thumb.

Suddenly she felt chilled in her wet bra and panties and quickly got dressed, brushing the sand that had been sticking to her off the best she could. Lacing up her boots she looked up at Hook already dressed. "We should head back to the ship now, I don't think there is anything to find on this island." She stated getting to her feet and grabbing her backpack from the ground where she had dropped it.

They spent the walk back to the ship in silence. It wasn't and uncomfortable silence, but it also wasn't one either felt they could break. She was deep in thought about what it meant that she had seen Hook as the merman. Could any face she knows be used to draw her into the water? Was it because she had wanted him in that moment? Was he the most beautiful man she knew? Granted she knew plenty of beautiful men, any one of them could have appeared. She didn't want to ask Hook her questions, he would probably tease her and never let her forget it, she mused.

Once back on the Jolly Roger they went their separate ways. As soon as her mother seen her she pulled her into a hug. "Emma, are you okay? You look horrible." She said in concern.

"Thanks" Emma replied dryly. "I was almost taken by the mermaids and Hook saved me." She explained in short, her mother gasped in horror hugging Emma more tightly to her.

"Thank goodness you are okay!" Mary Margret cried drawing her fathers and Neal's attention. Emma groaned under her breath when she seen them head towards them. _Wonderful_, now she had to explain the whole thing to all of them. She quickly explained the bare bones of what had happened, leaving out the fact that the merman she seen looked like Hook and she was ready to throw herself at the real Hook shortly before the merman had appeared. She did not need to explain that to her parents or her ex, just thinking about it made her uncomfortable. After she finished her story her father pulled her in for a tight hug, squeezing her reassuringly before releasing her. Before she knew what was happening Neal had his arms around her hugging her to him, murmuring in her hair how glad he was she was safe. She stood there with her arms at her sides for a moment before returning the hug, breaking it off as soon as she could and removing herself from his arms. _Well, that was awkward _she thought.

"Well, I need to go get cleaned up" she announced cheerfully leaving the trio and walking to her room below deck to wash the sand from her skin.

When she emerged back on deck she felt refreshed and as clean as she was going to get on a ship. She looked around the deck for Hook; her eyes always seemed to search him out without thought. He was standing near the helm talking to Regina. They were smiling at each other, obviously they had just shared a joke, and Regina was touching his arm. Something inside her wanted to march over there and push her over the side of the ship. Shaking her head at her own evil thoughts she went in the opposite direction, before she actually followed through with them. When did she become so possessive of Hook? Had she lost her mind? Wasn't jealousy for teenagers?

"Where did you get that?" Neal asked breaking into her thoughts and grabbing her hand.

"This?" she responded caressing the charm on her finger gently a smile on her face. "Hook gave it to me to protect me from the Mermaids spell."

"Of course he did, how _convenient_ of him to have it with him when you happened to run into Mermaids on a scouting mission _alone _in Neverland, a place he spent hundreds of years." He intoned with heavy sarcasm. "Yeah, I'm sure he didn't know Mermaids lived in that water."

She stopped touching the charm and she pulled her hand from his grasp, she should have done that as soon as he touched her. It just gave him false hope. He had been making it known he wouldn't mind trying to make something work between them. It just wasn't something she could ever do, she wasn't 'in love' with him and she never would be again.

"Right, the pirate thing." Emma laughed her voice heavy with sarcasm, "we have been over this Neal, him being a pirate doesn't make him less of a man, it just means that those are the choices he made to survive. It doesn't make him evil, just like your choices don't make you evil."

"Emma, that _pirate_ stole my mother from me!" he insisted "Now he is trying to take you from me too!"

"I am not a thing to take, I am a human being with free will I make my own decisions." She fumed "and I am not yours!"

"You said you needed me, that you loved me!" Neal argued grabbing her arms to make her face him. "Let's go to my room to talk." He lowered his voice and tried to pull her towards the stairs.

She dug in her heels "No if we are going to talk we will do it here." She countered pulling herself from his grasp again. He stared at her like a wounded puppy, but all she felt was irritation. Why did he make everything about himself? Was he really that clueless? Or was he really that self-absorbed? Even when he apologized in Storybrooke after running into Tamara on the beach he made it all about how he felt. She just wanted to scream, he made her so mad. They had to get past this so they could parent Henry without killing each other. But she wasn't sure it was going to happen tonight, not with her temper.

"Look Neal, I do love you, I'm just not _in_ love with you. I said I needed you, which is true; I needed you to hold on so Henry wouldn't have lost the only father he had. But you didn't hold on, you gave up on us, just as you gave up on me 11 years ago. We will never be what we were, so stop pretending like it will happen. You made your choice first when you sent me to jail and then again when you chose to be with Tamara. Yeah it sucks that she turned out to be an evil Bitch with ulterior motives, but THAT IS NOT MY FAULT!" Emma ranted her voice rising with each word. "I am done talking about this right now." She finished in a calmer tone now that her feelings had exploded.

Neal looked at her like she had betrayed him, or kicked his puppy. But she couldn't find it in herself to care at that moment. She knew he probably meant well, but that really didn't change her feelings about any of it or how it had affected her whole life.

She desperately needed a drink, and the only person on this ship that she knew of that would have one was no longer on deck when she ended the argument she had been having with Neal. The others still on deck, Mulan, Regina, Mr. Gold, and her parents gave her a wide berth. So she went in search of Hook, he would have everything she needed, she was sure of it.

Emma opened the door to his cabin, quickly slipping inside and closing the door behind her, slightly out of breath with the thought of what she had planned.

"What do I owe this pleasure, sweetheart?" Hook teased from his seat at his desk.

**A/N - Finally Emma told Neal off. God he had that coming. What do you think she is planning in regards to Hook? **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N ~ This is the chapter that started it all. I started building the story around this event. Enjoy.**

**Like always, I own none of the characters, which is probably a good thing. I like to torture them it seems. Angelfan984 was amazing enough to offer to Beta for me. Thank you so much! Although any errors that may still be in the story are completely mine, I changed a few things after she did her thing. ;D**

**Chapter 7 **

**Hooks POV**

The door to Hook's cabin slammed open and just as quickly closed behind a panting Emma Swan. "To what do I owe this pleasure, sweetheart?" he drawled. Setting down the book he had been reading, or not reading as the case may be.

Hook had come down here as soon as he heard _Neal _and her arguing on the deck. He did not want to be drawn into that drama, whatever it was between them. They seemed to have a love-hate relationship. They loved to hate each other or maybe they hated to love each other. Either way it was none of his concern. Except that he had once wanted to be Bae's father figure and he was pretty sure he and Emma had come to a friendship of sorts. At least, if the magical kiss they had shared was any indication. Add to that what they had shared this afternoon near the lagoon and he was sure more would have happened if that Mermaid hadn't shown up.

"Hook, I need some of your rum, I know you have some in here," Emma rasped out, all business. She strode towards him where he was sitting at his desk. She placed her hands on his desk and lowered her head to his level, "please Captain, share your rum."

"My Swan, aren't you beautiful when your all business. Very alluring indeed." He declared while he handed his flask over to her and winked.

After taking a long drink, Emma wiped her arm across her mouth and sighed, "Thanks, I needed that." This time, she took a slower drink of the rum. Hook watched as her throat worked, mesmerized by her beauty. She set the flask down on the desk and propped her hip onto the edge of the desk and fingered the book that he had put down. _Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie_, "I loved this book growing up, I always thought Peter would come for me and take me away to Neverland. I never imagined that he was the bad guy and that Hook," she glanced up at him through her lashes, "was the hero of the story." He gazed back at her speechless, he felt butterflies take flight in his stomach. _What was happening to him_, he pondered wonderingly.

"I have a proposition to make Hook," Emma stated as she sat more fully on the desk "how about we have some fun between friends, no strings, just fun." She trailed off and glanced at him to see his reaction. Hook looked back at her as though it was a joke with a slight smirk on his lips.

"Oh tsk, tsk Swan, you know it's not nice to tease a pirate," he joked "you will have to walk the plank if you continue to make promises you don't intend to keep."

Emma reached out to his hooked hand and gently traced the curve of the hook up to his arm while she flirted, "but I am very serious, you offered me another attachment if I wanted it once, is that offer still open?"

Hook cocked his head to the side to gauge how serious she was. Then tentatively reached his hand up to lie against her thigh. The chills he got from the touch raced through his body. When she didn't pull away as he had expected her to, he let his booted feet hit the ground. He stood slowly, his hand never left her thigh.

"Aye, love that offer will always be open for you." Hook confessed.

"Good" Emma growled as she grabbed him by the back of the head and started to kiss him hard. Her magic sparked around them. Not the gentle magic of their first kiss, but a brighter and stronger magic.

She reached her hands up to remove his leather jacket and ran her hands down his arms her touch left a trail of golden magic on his skin. Hooks jacket fell to the floor unnoticed. She removed his vest next as though she was in a hurry and she would change her mind at any minute.

Hook stilled her frantic movements and looked into her eyes "Are you sure about this love?" he questioned in concern.

"Would I be in here with you if I wasn't sure?" Emma smiled and drew him to her. Then she slowly took his mouth in a gentle kiss that tasted of his rum.

Emma continued to undress him in an efficient manner; he didn't want to think of where she learned these skills, but he did enjoy it all. Hook followed her lead and removed her shirt to reveal that strange chemise he had seen earlier that held her breasts in. He kissed her neck down to her cleavage and grazed his hand beneath the silk of the chemise. Emma shivered in response. Then he ran his hand down her body to her trousers. His fingertips brushed against the silk of her underwear, he groaned at the combined softness of her skin and the silk.

Emma spread her legs open and pulled him to stand between them. He could feel the heat of her through both their clothes and it made him strain against the leather of his. Hook involuntarily pushed his hips forward into her warmth and ground out a pained groan.

_Gods, he wasn't going to survive this._

She smiled wickedly and pushed her hips back into him and let her head drop back in pleasure. He thought he heard her purr, but that couldn't be right, Emma didn't purr.

"Yes, this is the kind of fun I was talking about, you can read me can't you?" Emma moaned out.

"Like an open book, love." Hook replied and kissed her fully on her mouth once again and tasted her sweet honey taste. She slid off of the desk down the length of him tortuously slow and began to lead him to the bed. Once they reached the bed she pushed him down and climbed on top of him. Emma pressed her heat into him and kissed his chest up to his lips. A low moan, which he couldn't hold back, left his lips as he pushed his hips back up into her heat.

"Gods, Emma, I love you so much!" Hook groaned between kisses. "Where you are is where I will make my home." He stared at her in shock from what he just admitted; he hadn't even admitted that to himself. But it was the truth; he could feel it all the way down to his soul.

"Uh huh, me too" Emma agreed on a sigh while she claimed his lips and deftly started to untie his breeches.

"Uh huh, you too?" he began on a whisper against her lips. "What do you mean you too?"

"Oh just shut up and kiss me!" Emma commanded. He pulled back from her trying to put some space between them. He had just bared his heart and soul to her and this is what it got him? A short 'yeah, buddy me too'.

_Like bloody hell_ he thought and felt himself start to get angry. At her, at himself, who knew, he just had to put more space between them, he couldn't breath or think with her so near.

Hook shot to his feet like his cabin was on fire, dropping her on his bed as he did so. He was across the room in a second, as far from her as he could get. His chest hurt like someone trying to rip his heart out, his eyes were burning. Was he going to cry? _No way was he going to cry over this_ he told himself, at least not in front of her. He had to hang on to his anger, because it was quickly evaporating and being replaced by hurt and rejection, why could he never stay mad at this woman?

"What was that?" Emma demanded as she sat up on his bed her lips looked thoroughly kissed. Her eyes started to clear of the foggy haze of desire and he could see a storm approach in them. He welcomed it with opened arms; he needed it to stay angry.

"What was what, love?" Hook baited her while he reclined back against the wall as if he was bored and hadn't just bolted from the bed, "just a little fun between friends right? We _are_ friends are we, love?" he repeated her words back to her, while he cocked his eyebrow up and let his tongue come out to swipe his bottom lip. Her eyes followed the movement of his tongue across his lip, and then she snapped her eyes up to his, filled with renewed desire, stormy sea green meeting lightening blue eyes in challenge.

_Oh, hell now he had done it,_ he thought as he straightened up from his reclined position on the wall. Hook steeled himself and waited patiently for her reaction.

"Oh no, buddy you are not getting out of this that easily" Emma objected as she rose from the bed and stalked towards him in nothing but her strange blue chemise and trousers. "We weren't done with our 'fun' _friend_."

"Oh on the contrary we are done, I no longer find this appealing." Hook lied as he cocked his head to the side to determine if she bought it. He needed to get her out of his room; he couldn't handle much more of this charade before he would break. "I do not wish to be used as a tool to forget another." He added honestly.

"Hook, here's the thing," Emma started, as though she was reasoning with her son instead of him. "You didn't have a problem with it when I first came in here. You welcomed me with open arms, like you had been waiting for me to come to you." Emma finished while she placed her hands on his bare chest. Her fingers threaded through his chest hair and Emma ran her hands up to his shoulders to pull him to her. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled his head down to meet hers for a slow kiss. He felt himself stiffen in more ways than one at her touch. His emotions were all over the place; he didn't know what he felt anymore. He just knew she needed to go, so he could think and breath.

Hook reached up between their bodies and slowly pushed her back from him. He felt regret almost immediately. Then he stepped around her, grabbed her discarded shirt off of the ground with his hook and held it out to Emma.

"You should go," Hook murmured while he glanced down at the floor still. His hook still held Emma's shirt out to her.

"You… You're serious? Hook, you want this as much as I do, why are you fighting it now?" Emma appealed to him in an almost whisper. Hook knew he probably wouldn't have this opportunity again, but he couldn't do this just friends thing with her. He knew he had made that stupid comment to her to scare her away, but it just wasn't true. He craved more from her, for them. He needed her here fully with him. Not still hung up on a guy that treated her poorly.

"Yes, darling, I am quite serious. " _You need to figure out your feelings for Bae as well as your feelings me_ he added silently his eyes spoke the last part as they met hers.

Emma quickly pulled her shirt over her head and strode out of his cabin, as if nothing had transpired. Hook slowly closed the door behind her and leaned his body against the door with a sad sigh he finally let his emotions out to the empty room.

**A/N - This chapter transformed from what I originally wrote. It was almost a drastic change, but it was one that made sense for the story progression. Hope you enjoyed what this chapter became, like I said at the start, I seem to like to torture these characters. But they seriously need to talk, so many misconceptions because of the lack of communication.**

**Thank you so much for all the reviews, comments, follows, favorites and such. You guys are the best and really inspire me to write more. {{Hugs}}**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N - All of you are wonderful beans! I love you all. I'd like to thank my amazing beta for everything she does. Angelfan984 you are seriously the best. Any and all errors are completely mine, so I apologize in advance if there are any. I do not own any of these characters; sadly I think I would torture them a little too much. Maybe I would fit right in with the writing team. lol**

**Chapter 8**

**Emma POV**

"Shake a leg, sweetheart, it's time to wake up!" Her mother announced cheerfully. Emma still half asleep in dreams she didn't want to wake up from, did what any child would do in that situation. She covered her head with her blanket and swatted her mothers' hand away.

"Just a few more minutes, Mom" Emma groaned still half asleep as she tried to recapture the dream at the edge of her mind. But it was allusive and it slipped further away from her reach the more she tried. Now more awake than asleep she remembered last night and buried herself deeper into her blanket. There was no way she would leave her bunk today. She did not want to face the 'King' of sexual innuendo. Since they would both know that he had rejected her last night. Hook toyed with her and had even said he loved her that she was his home, only to kick her out. Emma knew not to take Hooks I love you to heart, because he had previously told her not to expect happily ever after. So she had brushed him off, she had known he said it in the midst of passion. Some guys did that kind of thing, at least some guys she had known.

Emma did not want to face Hook ever again, she would rather walk the plank or swim with the mermaids, she thought, both of those would be far more pleasant than to face him with a smirk on his face. She groaned and threw the covers off; too bad she was a grown ass woman that had to face her bad decisions.

-

"Miss Swan," Mr. Gold addressed her as soon as she emerged topside. "I have an idea that I think might be worth a try to help find Henry."

"Okay," Emma hesitated while she absently looked for Hook on deck.

"Hook is not well today, Miss Swan." Mr. Gold imparted to her like she had asked about his location. "He asked Charming to have Bae steer the ship today," he finished with a gesture to where Neal stood at the helm.

"Uh, oh. So what is your idea?" Emma asked to change the subject away from Hook and Neal. Although she wanted to ask what exactly was wrong with Hook. Had he caught a chill when he saved her from the Mermaids? However Henry was her first concern. Emma would figure out what was wrong with Hook after she found out what this idea was.

"Well, I had a thought that you, Miss Swan, are Henry's biological mother, so I thought that we could try the globe with your blood this time. To see if it will locate Henry for us." Mr. Gold finished "Would you like to attempt that today?"

"Yes! Can we try it now?" Emma asked eagerly. "I will do anything to find Henry as soon as we possibly can."

"Certainly," he confirmed and with a wave of his hand the globe appeared next to them on the crate. "Ready?"

Without an answer Emma pricked her finger on the pin and dripped her blood onto the globe. The red started to swirl as soon as the blood hit the surface. The map of Neverland showed up with a glowing spot on an island about 3 days from where they were. Emma's breath caught as she watched the dot on the globe. The knowledge that Henry was within reach both excited and terrified her. It terrified her that he could slip through her fingers once again. But it excited her because they were in the right world and she now had proof.

"We have to tell everyone and set a course for that island right now," Emma said quickly and smiled up at Mr. Gold. "Thank you!" she exclaimed and gave him a hug. He stood still in shock, not used to the praise.

"It was all you dearie," Mr. Gold chuckled standing a little straighter after her thanks. "I will inform the others."

-

**Hooks POV**

Hook was such a coward. Only a coward would hide in their room because they were afraid the woman they loved didn't feel the same. He hadn't slept since she left his room, and he bordered on delirious. He was sure hallucinations wouldn't be too far behind. Maybe he should just go throw her over his shoulder and bring her back to his room and make love to her, until she begged him never to leave her. All of the various scenarios he pictured in his head involved different acts of making her see the light, his favorite so far was to handcuff her to his bed and not let her leave until she promised she would come back.

_Gods, when did she get under his skin?_

Tomorrow, he would focus all of his attention to find Henry. He just needed this one-day of weakness to build up his walls, and to fix the cracks he had let appear. Cracks that she had managed to seep her way into.

_'Oh dear don't you know, love is weakness' he heard Cora say in the distance._

_'No, it's Strength!' Emma replied._

Hook sat up straighter and looked at the empty bottle in his hand, as if it was what had talked. Where had that come from, was it a memory? He didn't remember anything happening like that. But he could hear the words in his head all the same. They echoed there with the demand that he listen to Emma's words.

_'A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets.' He heard his voice echo in his head picturing that long ago day._

'Please sir, what am I going to tell my boy?' the coward had begged him.

_'Try the truth… his fathers a coward,' Hook remembered he had said in disappointment that the man hadn't loved his wife enough to fight for her._

It had been a test, and Rumpelstiltskin had failed it. He had been a coward when he didn't fight for his wife. Even the thought that a whole ship of men would use her didn't make him fight for her. Milah had been right about him when she said he wouldn't fight for her. Hook was no different than Rumple had been back then. Why did Hook not fight for Emma? Did he think that he didn't deserve to be happy again? Did he believe Regina that he was a villain after all? Could he not be redeemed? Was he beyond being saved, beyond redemption?

No, none of that could be true, because Hook couldn't see a life that didn't include Emma's love and she wouldn't love an evil man. He had to get up and fight for what he wanted; he needed to show her what she would miss out on if she didn't love him back.

Hook got to his feet and swayed from a combination of too much to drink and not enough sleep. Determined he took a step towards the door. He tripped over his own feet and hit his head hard against the corner of his bed. He fell to the ground with a thud; he could feel the warm blood trail down his face from the cut on the side of his head, moments before his vision went dark.

-

**Emma's POV**

After Emma had told the good news to her family and Regina, she decided to swallow her pride and check on Hook. If he truly was sick it was all her fault and she would make sure he got better. She carried a bowl of broth to his cabin. Emma gathered her courage to knock, positioned outside of his closed door.

_Just do it you coward_, she told herself, she raised her empty hand to knock and hesitated for a moment longer, before her fist touched the wood. No response came to her knock, so she called out "Hook? I've brought you some broth, can I come in?"

Still no answer came, so she decided to open the door and just leave the broth for him on his table. Emma cracked the door open slightly. "Hook I'm coming in," she warned him in case he was awake and had just decided to ignore her. She pushed the door open further with her foot and stepped into the room. Hook's bed was empty. It looked like it hadn't been slept in either. Where was he? She stepped into the room ready to close the door when she noticed him on the floor on the other side of his bed. What the hell? "Hook?" she said as she came around the side of the bed. Emma looked down at his body to see that his head was cut open on his temple and blood trickled slowly from the gash.

"Oh my god! Hook!" Emma yelled and dropped to her knees as she touched the cut, the soup forgotten, crashing to the ground. He didn't move. There was no response from him, nothing. She started to panic. "Hook! Wake up, oh god there is so much blood, Hook please open your eyes. Killian don't leave me, I love you!" she sobbed while tears ran freely down her face.

"Emma! Are you okay?" her mother said as she burst through the doorway. "I heard you scream—Oh my – is he –" she trailed off unsure of how to finish the sentence when Emma looked up at her distraught. "I'll get your father!" Mary Margret told her as she ran from the room. Emma focused her attention back on Killian. She came back to her senses and checked for a pulse. It was slower than it should be but it was there. Emma let out a breath of relief. She started to run her hands along his body to check for other injuries. She found none and returned her attention to the gash on his head. It had to be cleaned she realized belatedly, as her mother and father returned to the room.

"What happened here Emma?" Her father questioned as he knelt beside her. "We need to stop that bleeding," he said all business as he took control of the situation. Emma was thankful, because she found that she could not think straight when it came to Hook being hurt.

"I—I don't know, I was bringing him some soup and to tell him about heading to the island to find Henry and I found him like this." Her father raised an eyebrow at her when she told him she brought him soup.

"Okay we need to get him cleaned up and back into bed." He directed. Emma started to gently wipe the blood from his face and around the deep cut. She winced slightly when he groaned in pain. If I could take this pain from you I would, she told him in her head. Her hand started to tingle with her magic and she gasped. Could she really take his pain from him? She recalled how Mr. Gold had healed a bullet wound on Belle when Hook had shot her. So she knew it was possible, she just didn't know how.

"What are you doing Emma?" her mother questioned in confusion. Emma focused all her attention on Killian; she ran the wet cloth over his cut to wipe away more blood. Was the cut getting smaller? Her heart leaped into her throat. Was she healing him with her magic? Emma heard her mother gasp when she rinsed the washcloth and wiped away more blood to show flawless skin under the blood.

"Emma, you used your magic to heal him!" she distantly heard her mother exclaim.

"Killian" Emma whispered to the still unconscious man, she could only see him in the room, everything else danced on the edges of her vision.

"Help me get him into the bed." Her father coaxed Emma.

Together, they lifted him into the bed and made sure that Killian was situated comfortably. David took Mary Margret by the hand and urged her out of the room with him.

Emma sat down on the bed next to Killian's still form. She willed him to open his eyes. Until darkness fell she sat like that, her mother and father checked on them occasionally. Mary Margret brought her a candle and placed it on the bedside table. She kissed her forehead before leaving the room for the night. Emma refused to leave his side until he opened his eyes. When she felt her own eyes start to drift shut she snapped them open determined to stay awake.

After a while, Emma decided to lie down next to Killian on the bed and watch him from there. She gently removed his hook, and placed it on the table next to the candle. If he woke in the middle of the night she didn't want him to accidentally hurt himself with it. She fought sleep for a little while longer before the warmth of his body lulled her into a deep slumber.

**A/N - Poor Killy and his floor, at least one good thing came from this, Emma recognized her feelings. ;D I love hearing your thoughts on the story, it makes me feel happy. So go... review... pretty please? lol**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N - I own none of the characters. Sometimes that makes me sad. lol Angelfan984 was awesome enough to beta for me, and the little word changes she made really added to the story. Thank you so much! If there are any errors remaining, they are completely mine and I apologize in advance. **

**Chapter 9 **

**Hook's POV**

Hook groaned as he awoke. His head felt as if it would explode. He had one hell of a hangover; he started to reach his hand to his head but froze when he felt the warmth along his side. Someone was curled up next to him, using his outstretched arm as a pillow. He opened his eyes and looked over into Emma's face. What had happened? Why was she cuddled up against him, her leg thrown over his? Had they done something? Did he really drink that much? Hook couldn't remember much after he had convinced himself into going to find Emma. Actually he couldn't remember much of _anything _after he had stood up.

Emma stirred in her sleep and cuddled closer. She reached her hand across his bare stomach and moved her head onto his shoulder. Her heat warmed his air-chilled skin and he inhaled her scent as he relaxed into her arms. The pounding in his head receded into a distant memory, who knew that this was a cure for a hangover? He could wake up like this for the rest of his life and he would be a happy man.

"Wait, I need to get back to him, please," Emma mumbled in her sleep her hand grasping him tighter around his waist.

"Love?" Hook whispered in question.

"Hook I need Hook, please," Emma murmured against his chest, her lips grazing his bare skin sending little chills of pleasure through him. Hook trailed his fingers down her arm that was wrapped around him. While his body reacted to her touch in an almost embarrassing way.

Emma was dreaming of him, he thought in wonder. His door suddenly opened to interrupt his thoughts before he could decide what it meant.

"Bloody hell!" Hook breathed when he realized it was her father in the doorway. Charming stood and stared in shock to find his daughter wrapped around him.

"This isn't what it looks like, Mate" Hook began quietly as he tried not to wake up Emma with his voice. Although he wasn't sure what had happened, he was sure that he would remember if something had happened. At least he hoped he would remember.

"I see you are finally awake," Charming responded fully recovered from his shock but he did not look happy that his little girl was in Hook's arms.

"Awake?" Hook asked in confusion as he attempted to remove himself from Emma's warm embrace without her waking. She tightened her grip and mumbled something into his shoulder. He gave up and awkwardly looked back over to her father with a sheepish grin on his lips. "I guess she just can't bare to be parted from me." Hook joked.

"She found you yesterday with a nasty gash on your head, knocked out cold on the floor." Charming ignored his comment. "Emma refused to leave your side after she healed your cut, I was just coming to check on her to make sure she was okay. I see that she is. I will let her sleep because she probably needs it but you will keep your hand to yourself Hook, unless you want to lose it. I will be back in a little bit to check on her." He finished with a threat and closed the door softly behind him.

_Well, hell_ Hook thought as he relaxed back into the bed. With Emma still holding onto him. That had gone differently than he had expected when he saw the prince in the doorway. He had expected to be beat within an inch of his life for being this close to his precious daughter. _Hook _would have beaten him in Charming's position if he found his little girl with a pirate. His mind went back to the prince's comment; he had said Emma used magic to heal him, Hook glanced down at her still sleeping form in his arms and wondered what it could mean that she cared enough to heal him.

**Emma POV**

Emma awoke slowly after the best sleep she had gotten in years, maybe ever. She sighed in happiness as she stretched her arm out across, -wait, was that skin? Her hand froze when she remembered where she was and exactly _who_ it was she was touching. She lifted her head from his chest only to look up into a smiling face.

"Good morning darling, sleep well?" Killian inquired with a raise of his eyebrow. She quickly sat up. Emma missed his warmth as soon as she was away from him.

"Hook, uh, I—we- uh, you were hurt, I was just making sure you were okay." Emma finished lamely.

"Oh, is that what this is love?" Killian smiled brighter at her. "If I said I was still hurt, would you kiss it to make it better?" he finished suggestively, waggling his eyebrows.

"Oh God," she groaned into her hands, what had she gotten herself into? She had just closed her eyes for a moment and in her sleep curled around him like she belonged in his arms. It had felt amazing, she admitted to herself, waking up in his arms had been blissful.

"I'm only joking Emma," Killian assured her "your father already came in and explained what happened."

"My dad!" Emma blurted in embarrassment. "He saw us like that?" she gestured to his chest and flushed red.

"Indeed he did, and I'm still alive, I think I'm growing on him." Killian winked at her as he put his arms behind his head. "He said to let you sleep and he would be back to check on you. It was no hard ship on me though, so no need to feel bad for drooling all over my chest."

"I drooled on you!" her hand flew to up to her mouth to check for moisture and he laughed at her actions.

"It was nothing compared to what you told me while you slept, love" he teased.

"Now you are full of it, I do not talk in my sleep." Emma proclaimed, at least she didn't think she did.

"You are wrong about that darling, the things you told me you wanted to do to me-" Killian broke off with a faked groan. "I'm scandalized really."

"Yeah?" Emma asked as she decided to play along with his game. "Did I tell you I wanted to run my hands down your chest to your –" she looked at his pants suggestively "hips."

"Oh yes love, you said that and much more." Killian said encouragingly.

"So I must have mentioned that I wanted to follow my hands with my lips and –" Emma broke off her description as the door to the cabin opened. Mary Margret's head appeared through the opening. Emma wanted to groan at her timing, Killian actually did groan, a real one this time and she smiled.

"Mary Margaret, mom, good morning did you sleep well?" she asked brightly.

"You are awake!" Mary Margaret smiled at her "your father said you had fallen asleep, I was just making sure you were still okay." She confessed then looked at Killian still reclined on the bed next to her. "How are you feeling today Hook?"

"Much better milady, thanks to your darling daughter." Killian admitted, "I do believe that I will rest for today though if that is okay with everyone else." He added with a look at Emma.

"Of course," Emma replied as she started to get up to leave.

"Wait a tick Emma, I wanted to talk to you before you go. Snow can you tell the others?" He questioned and looked at her mom in challenge. Did he expect that her mom would object? She was a grown woman, there was nothing her mom could say about it to be honest.

"Of course," Mary Margaret echoed Emma's reply and left the room. That was way too simple she mused. What was up with her parents, first David left her asleep in Killian's arms and now her mother just agreed to leave her alone with him. Was she in the twilight zone?

"Well, love," Killian reached out and touched her arm suggestively. "Where were we, love?" He asked, smirking like the Cheshire cat.

"I think I was about to show you exactly what I wanted to do." Emma leaned over Killian and placed her hands on his chest she could feel his soft chest hair beneath her fingers. She began to trail her fingers down his chest to his sides and he started to move on the bed to get out of her reach. He held back laughter and his face started to turn red. Had she found a ticklish spot on him? She grinned and followed him. Her tactics changed to tickling him instead. Killian's reaction was priceless, who would have thought that Captain Hook the feared pirate had a ticklish spot?

"Stop" Killian gasped out between laughs. "I beg of you please stop!"

"No way buddy!" Emma laughed; he grabbed onto one of her hands and moved her beneath him with a laugh. Killian's laughter died in his throat when his eyes met hers. Emma swallowed as she felt the tension in the air, her laughter dying as well. She could feel his desire for her pressed against her thigh.

"Emma," Killian ground out before he claimed her lips with his. She responded to his kiss with equal want. Her magic flowed freely out of her and she could feel it wrap around him and pull him closer. It made all of her feelings more intense; she felt them crash over her as they took her under with them.

**A/N - Just as an FYI the updates for this story will not be everyday after the next couple chapters. I'm still writing it, but I have found that I am struggling with the end. I know what is going to happen, but it isn't coming out. I've written chapter 12 and 13 a couple times, it just isn't as organic as I want it. Thank you for all of your follows, favorites, and reviews they mean the world to me! Happy 4th of July, if you celebrate it. =D **


	10. Chapter 10

** A/N - This chapter changes the rating for this story from T to M. I'm sure you all know what that means. lol **  
**Thank you so much for all of the wonderful reviews on this story, it really helps me to continue writing. I love you all. =D Thanks also goes to my wonderful beta Angelfan984. Any mistakes that might still be left are still completely mine. I do not own any of these characters. **

**Chapter 10**

Hook was so caught up in kissing Emma that he didn't hear his cabin door slam open. Someone tried to pull him away from her and he heard Emma protest, a second before whoever it was crashed into the wall behind him. He looked over his shoulder to see Charming crumpled to the floor and swore.

Hook rolled off of Emma, got to his feet and went over to see if he was okay. She sat up and covered her mouth her eyes wide, at what her magic had done.

"Oh my god! David! I'm so sorry!" Emma expressed as she jumped off of the bed and rushed to his side.

"I'm fine." Charming muttered and glared at Hook over Emma's shoulder. Then he got to his feet. He took a step towards Hook and punched him in the face. His head snapped to the side with the force of the punch, but he didn't retaliate. It was what he expected her father to do to him earlier when he walked in and Emma was basically on top of him.

"Dad!" Emma gasped, "Stop it. I wanted him to kiss me! Get out right now!" she pleaded pushing him towards the door.

"I told you to keep your hand to your self, Mate" her dad protested while Emma pushed him out the door and swiftly closed it behind his exiting form. She leaned up against the door and sighed, her head dropping back against the door with a light thud.

"Ehm, well," Hook began awkwardly, not sure what to say now that the heat of the moment was broken.

"I should go." Emma broke in before he could say anything else. She started to turn for the door and he was beside her in an instant. His good hand, slamming the door shut.

"No, stay we need to talk." Hook said seriously. "There is something I need to tell you."

Emma turned back towards him and leaned back against the door again. It took every fiber in her being to ignore how close his body was to hers. She looked at him questioningly. She knew if she didn't go now, things weren't going to end well. A single eyebrow rose. She would not make this easy for him, he could see.

"Emma, the thing is, I, uh I've fallen in love with you. I can understand if you don't love me back." He vocalized staring at the floor between them. She found it endearing that he was unable to meet her eyes. "I just thought you should know what you'd be getting into with me. It wouldn't be just friends on my end, I will always want more. It was a foolish thing to say before, and I was just trying to push you away. I didn't think you would want me with Bae back in the picture, I know he is Henry's father. So I was trying to take a step back and I hope I haven't ruined any chance of us having more than friendship between us." He confessed. Finally daring to look into her green eyes. Hook was surprised to see them filled with tears. One managed to slip out and slide down her cheek. "Och, darling, don't cry." He wiped the tear away with his fingers and smoothed her hair behind her ear in the process.

"I – are you sure?" she asked in disbelief.

"More sure than I've ever been about anything in my very long life, Emma." Hook proclaimed as he ran his hand down her arm and laced his fingers with hers.

"Hook… no, Killian I love you too." She breathed and smiled, her eyes meeting his. Hook's breath caught when she called him Killian, he hadn't heard his real name in a very long time. He gathered her to him and kissed the top of her head with whispered words of love.

"Wait, I'm not finished." Emma broke the contact and pushed him back a foot or so. "I do love you, I think I started to fall for you on the beanstalk. You scared me. That was why I left you there. You were getting too close, some how you got behind my walls in that short amount of time. After everything you came back, to save Storybrooke and offered your ship without question, when you found out my son was missing. It was the first time anyone came back for me. Everyone else had left me or let me go."

Hook gathered her into his arms again and held her tight as his heart beat faster.

Emma drew back and pressed her lips to his. Hook gave in to her kisses with a groan. "Emma" he whispered shakily, as he wrapped her in his arms and drew her flush against his chest.

"Mmmhhh, that is more like it," Emma murmured against his lips, her voice almost purring in appreciation. "Now, where were we Captain?" she teased while her hands made their way down to his breeches and untied them deftly to free him completely. Emma then wrapped him in her warm hands. It was heaven, he felt light headed and his knees felt weak. He would do anything she requested of him, he was hers, and he would always be hers. What ever she needed from him he would give her.

"Emma" Hook gasped out as she increased the speed of her hand. Her fingertips grazed his sensitive head and continued to stroke the length of him. Hook knew he would come undone in her hands. "Gods, Emma you need to stop… I'm not going to last much longer, it's been too long." He begged. She slowed her hand and looked up at him through her lashes with a sly smile, and dropped to her knees. Her lips took him into her warm mouth. Emma used her hands to pull his hips forward to push him further into her mouth. He groaned and let his head drop back, while she sucked the length of him into her mouth as though he was a popsicle. His hand came out to hold the wall, to support his weak knees. She swirled her tongue around the tip and almost let him slip from between her lips, before taking him fully back into her welcoming mouth. She continued her mastery over and over again, pushing him towards the edge. "Emma, ugh, Emma, please… I. Can't. Do. This. Uh, oh gods, please Emma." Hook gasped out while he watched her pleasuring him.

"Just let go Killian," Emma breathed against him and took him into her mouth one last time before he spilled himself into her mouth. A string of curses left Hook's mouth. "Mmm so good," she sighed as she wiped her fingertips across her mouth. Emma licked her lips and sucked her fingers into her mouth while she met his eyes.

"You little minx." He breathed out softly.

Emma was quite proud of herself for what she made happen. The sight of her happy face had him start to stir again. Hook reached down with his hand and pulled her to her feet, then slowly started to walk backwards to his bed, while he kissed her hungrily. He tried to remove her shirt and undo her strange breeches with his one hand. She returned his kisses with fervor and assisted him with removing her clothes as well as his breeches. When his knees hit the bed they were both completely naked and he fell backwards onto the bed and brought her with him. She straddled his hips with her legs. Emma was a bloody marvel and Hook couldn't believe that she was really here with him right now.

Emma's walls were completely down, and he could read her so well, very much like the open book that he compared her to before on the beanstalk. Hook could see the acceptance in her eyes. There was no judgment, only love and warmth for him. The love she felt glowed from her eyes, her golden magic reached out to envelope him in its warmth. He flipped her onto her back so that he could admire her naked body. She was an absolute beauty. Perfection wasn't a strong enough word. He stood for a moment and gazed down on his angel, his own personal savior.

Killian picked up his hook from the bedside table and clicked it in place. A smirk graced his handsome face as he had ideas for its use. Then he slowly lowered himself onto the bed beside her and lightly started to touch her stomach and breasts with the tip of his hook, up and over her stomach around each breast to the lightly colored nipples. He could see goose bumps rise on her skin, and he followed his hook with his lips. Hook sucked gently on her nipples once he reached them. He heard her sigh in pleasure as he kissed his way up her neck to her lips. He started a slow and sensual exploration of her lips, while his hand trailed down her body to her most sensitive spot. She arched her hips as he found her sweet spot. "Oh, Killian, don't stop, oh, right there, mmmhhh" Emma purred against his lips. He deepened the kiss and the flames ignited between them. She grabbed onto the back of his head to keep his lips on hers as her hips rocked with his touch. Hook placed his knee between her legs to slowly part her legs for him and positioned himself at her entrance. He pulled his lips from hers so he could see her eyes as he claimed her. Hook paused above her until Emma opened her beautiful green eyes and looked at him then he slowly lowered himself into her sweet warmth. They moved at a slow pace at first, until she grabbed onto his hips and urged him faster.

"Emma, you are as sweet as I've dreamed you would be," Hook growled while he picked up the pace of their love making. Emma was at the edge and only needed a small push to go over it, he sensed. "Just let go Emma," he whispered in her ear. He lips brushed the shell of her ear. He bit her lobe gently and seconds later he felt her muscles clamp around him, milking him for his seed. He quickly followed her over the edge with a loud moan. "I love you, Emma," he groaned out in his state of bliss. Her hands snaked around his waist and held him to her.

"I love you too, Killian" Emma sighed in happiness. She couldn't remember feeling this content in years. Hook slowly pulled out of her, lying next to her. He gently gathered her to his chest. He kissed her slowly and trailed his hook down her back. Hook sighed in contentment as he drifted off to sleep holding his angel in his arms.

**A/N - First time writing Smut... so erhm.. it is kinda soul bearing to be honest. You don't know how scared I was to post this chapter. lol**


	11. Chapter 11

**I own none of the characters. Once again I would like to thank my amazing Beta, Angelfan984, you truly are a blessing. I love the little things you add that make the story so much more. Hugs! If there are any errors, they are completely mine, and I apologize in advanced**

**Chapter 11**

**Emma POV**

Emma awoke in Killian's bed again, for the third day in a row, and smiled to herself. The last day and a half had been full of Killian. While on deck she found reasons to touch him, she would trail her fingers across his shoulders or touch his hand at the helm. Each of her secret touches causing a knowing smirk to spread across his face. He seemed to do the same thing. Killian would touch her face and move her hair behind her ear. Or graze her hip as he walked by. They shared secret smiles and long looks. They even went so far as to escape to his room for a few stolen moments. Her parents seemed to know what was happening and although her father obviously didn't agree with it, they held their tongues. Snow's eyes would shine with the knowledge of what was going on every time Emma looked at her. She knew she would have to talk to her mom about it soon though, or she would probably explode with curiosity.

Emma stretched her hand out reaching for Killian, only to find the bed was empty. She opened her eyes to see him sitting on the bench by the window staring out at the sky. Her eyes slid over his body as she admired his physique. "Killian, come back to bed." She entreated, smoothing the bed covers next to her. He smiled absently at her, his mind clearly some place else. "What is on your mind?" She inquired curiously.

"Nothing, love." Killian smiled as he came back to the bed, "only how much I want to ravish you this morning." He teased his lips against hers. She knew that he wasn't telling her the truth, but she pulled him down to her anyways. He would tell her what was bothering him when he was ready. But in this moment, she just wanted to love him.

-

Today was the day Emma had waited over 2 months for. The day they would find her son. They would reach the island that the globe was still pointing to later today. The little glowing dot didn't move so he was being held some place stationary. They would find him tonight, she was sure of it.

Emma came topside shortly after Killian did. But they didn't fool anyone with their separate entrances if the look she got from Neal was any indication. She had thought she made herself clear with him the other day.

"Miss Swan, a moment if you please?" Regina disrupted her thoughts.

"Regina, you do know you can call me Emma right?" Emma said dryly.

"We need to talk about your developing feelings for Hook." She elaborated with a rise of her brows.

"We – What?" Emma asked in confusion.

"Miss Swan, Emma, finding Henry should be our top priority, don't let love be your weakness. I need you to be strong today. We need to find my son." Regina pleaded with her.

"Wait a minute. My _love_, you think that is a weakness? Regina, love is not weakness, it is strength. Killian's love for me makes me stronger, together we are strength." Emma expressed to her. "We will bring Henry home. Good always wins, you of all people should know that."

**Hooks POV**

Hook was at the helm steering the ship into the small lake next to the island they were going to drop anchor at for the search.

"A word if you will." Rumple addressed him with a flourish of his hands.

Hook hadn't truly talked to him, except for the necessary directions while they searched, since the night Rumple had removed the curse. With a curt nod Hook gestured to Charming to take over at the helm and he walked with Rumple to the side of the ship. He looked out to the ocean that surrounded them and waited for Rumple to speak.

"That favor, dearie, I know what I want from you." Rumple chirped with a giggle.

"I will not give up Emma, demon, not for any reason!" Hook promised his anger near the surface. He had known this day was near; it had occupied his thoughts this morning before Emma had woken up.

"Tsk, Tsk Hook – Do not presume to know what I want from you." He chastised him in his Storybrooke voice.

"Then what do you want?" Hook bit out. He looked behind them to see if anyone could hear what they said.

They were all busy with various tasks to prepare for the search that evening. Even Aurora had ventured from her room and she stood next to Philip while he sharpened his sword. Her and Mulan carried on a quite conversation about the search. Charming, Snow and Neal were near the helm. Neal glanced their way when he looked in that direction but quickly adverted his eyes when they met his. Emma and Regina seemed to be having a serious conversation about something as well. Hook sighed, no one would over hear what Rumple wanted from him, he hoped.

"Let's see, how shall I phrase this?" Rumple mused out loud.

"Just get on with it." Hook demanded, "enough with this cat and mouse game of yours."

"Patience dearie" he quipped in glee as he wagged his pointer finger at him in mock disappointment.

"If your favor is not for me to step aside for your son to have Emma, then what could it be?" He remarked in sarcasm.

"What good would that do? Emma is a strong woman and would not take kindly to me interfering." Rumple answered.

"Since when do you care for what people want?" Hook queried in shock.

"That is no concern of yours, Hook." He sneered. "The only thing you should be concerning yourself with is what I want you to do."

"Well, that is a little hard to accomplish when you have yet to tell me what you want." He snapped at the end of his patience with the demon.

"Is there a problem here, Killian" Emma asked in concern. Her approach had been silent and he wasn't sure how much she had over heard.

"No problem here, my dear" Rumple answered for him "we were just talking about finding Henry."

"Killian?" Emma repeated as she looked at him. She obviously did not trust Rumple any more than he did.

"We were just finished" Hook agreed with Rumple a bit too quickly.

Emma gave him a look of disbelief, "You just lied to me. I don't know why or what you lied about but it was a lie. You of all people should know better, given how we met."

The feeling of the cool steel pressed against his throat when they met flashed across his mind. "Emma—" Hook began and he trailed off, not knowing what to say because he knew she was right.

"I will leave you _true loves_ to talk it out." Rumple mocked him. "We _will_ talk later Hook."

After Rumple walked away, Emma faced him her right hand resting on the railing of the ship while her left hand went to her hip.

"Talk—" Emma instructed, her voice indicating that she was no nonsense right now.

Hook sighed, "I made a deal with Rumple after we arrived in Neverland. He told me I had a curse put on me by a fairy and he showed me proof. It was a curse to forever be alone. Emma, I just didn't want to be alone anymore." He begged her to understand.

"You made a deal with Rumpelstiltskin?" Emma clarified "Because you were afraid to be alone?"

"Aye, that is the gist of it." Hook confirmed his face sad. "It was before us." He finished as he gestured between them.

"So, what? Is he cashing it in? What does he want in return?" she pressed for more information.

"I—I don't know. He never said." He looked down in defeat. Had he lost her because of this deal? Was his happiness to be so fleeting? Had the crocodile known this would happen? He heard Emma sigh and he looked up at her.

"We will figure this out together." Emma promised. Hook let out a breath in relief that he didn't realize he had held and pulled her into his arms for the first time in front of everyone on his ship.

He finally had someone on his side.

**A/N - The next chapter will probably be updated on Tuesday at the latest; I'm working some kinks out of it at the moment with the help of my wonderful beta Angelfan984. **


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N - Thanks to my Beta Angelfan984, you are great. As always any errors that might be still here are completely mine. Sorry in advance.**

**Disclaimer: I own none of the characters.**

**Chapter 12**

**Emma POV**

Emma's stomach twisted with nerves. They had anchored the ship about a half an hour ago. They were almost ready to embark on their rescue mission. She double-checked her sword at her waist for the tenth time to make sure it was still there. David came up behind her and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Today is the day!" he promised squeezing her shoulder in reassurance.

Emma placed her hand on his, turning to face him and offered a small smile. "I really hope so, I just want to find Henry and take him back home."

"We will Emma, don't doubt that we will. Our family will ALWAYS find each other." Her father added confidently.

Emma's mind raced with all the possible scenarios. Her past as a bounty hunter made her contemplate all that she had seen up until this point. She was good at finding people. It's what she used to do. There is something about the 'someone' being her son that made her uneasy. There was no room for error, her son's life depended on it, he depended on her to do this right. Never in her life had anyone been this dependent on her. She took a deep breath to try to settle her nerves it didn't work.

On top of everything she also found herself worried about what Gold wanted from Killian. Since she had met Mr. Gold, all of his goals seemed to focus on getting his son or Belle back. He had his son, at least physically, what could Killian do to help him with that? Neal and Killian barely tolerated each other. She didn't know what their past history entailed, but it must not be all chocolate and roses. All the unknowns made her anxious to get it over with.

Emma was standing near the ship's railing, absorbing the view of the island that held her son when Neal came up next to her. She held back a groan; she did not want to have another fight with him. Couldn't they just get past this? Today was not the day to poke the beast that was Emma.

"Uh, Emma, I wanted to apologize for being a dick lately." Neal admitted catching her off guard.

"Well—Thank you for that. We will need to work together if we are going to get Henry back." Emma replied. At least he looked sincere.

"Yeah," Neal agreed as he ran his fingers through his messy hair. Sometimes he reminded her of the boy she had loved, the one she didn't think would ever leave her. If he hadn't made the decisions he had made, she would not be the strong woman she was today. That was one thing she learned about adversity. If it didn't break you, it made you stronger.

"Let's just put it behind us. Forgive and forget. I think you were right; destiny did bring us together, to make Henry, but that is all." Emma smiled "and now we need to focus all of our attention on finding him, and bringing him home safe and sound." Neal nodded in silent agreement. With that they fell into a fragile silence, both looked towards the island and their respective futures.

**Hook POV**

Hook watched as Neal approached Emma. It put him on guard. But not in jealously, no he had nothing to fear. He trusted Emma implicitly even though he didn't trust Neal as far as he could throw him one-handed. Emma completed him and made him whole, just as he did with her. He was on guard because every time Neal and Emma _talked_ it ended in an argument. It was almost like he felt the need to protect her from the negativity. She didn't need any at the moment; there were more important matters at hand. He watched them as they talked and then fell into a silence both looking towards the shore.

He adverted his eyes from the pair and looked down at the deck. He was deep in thought when Snow White came up to him.

"What can I do for you, M'lady?" He asked with a smirk.

"She is in love with you. You know that right?" Snow sighed wistfully.

"Aye, I do." Hook voiced with a confidence he hadn't felt in years.

"The question is, how do you feel about my daughter? I won't have you breaking her heart. She has known nothing but pain in her life. It is time for her to have happiness." Her gaze went tenderly to her daughter standing next to Neal. "If that isn't your plan with her, you will have me to deal with."

"I care very deeply for her." Hook admitted, those words did not even touch how he felt for Emma. He wasn't even sure those words existed; he glanced at Snow to see if she understood his words. She was staring at his face fixedly, as if she was reading more than he was saying. "I can't picture my life without her in it. I wouldn't want to live in a world without her in it."

"Good" Snow responded happiness radiating from her face. It was obviously the answer was that she was seeking. He felt himself sigh in relief before she said in complete seriousness "but if you hurt my little girl I will hunt you down and make you regret it."

Hook nodded and replied. "And I will let you." With that she grabbed him in a tight hug, then turned from him and strolled away from his stunned form. This was so foreign to him, this thing called family. But he found himself wanting to be a part of it, to understand it better.

Before he could recover Rumpelstiltskin walked up and addressed him for the second time that day. Hook took a deep breath, steeling himself for what was coming.

"That conversation dearie." Rumple chirped, "Lets finish it."

"Can it not wait? We are about to leave for the island." Hook sighed, when would this demon stop haunting him? He had thought when he gave up the revenge that once they were back in Storybrooke they would just go their separate ways. At this point, he wasn't sure that would be the case.

"No, dearie, it certainly will not wait!" Rumple grinned. "The pieces of the puzzle are almost in place."

Hook shook his head at the demon's rambling. "What is it you want then, demon." He questioned with a roll of his eyes.

"A simple favor is what I ask." He sang "You are to protect my family above all else on that island tonight" he finished as he pointed his golden finger at the island.

Hook blinked "Your family? Protect them above all else? Who do you consider your family and why do you want me to protect them?" He asked, cautiously drawing his body back from the demon his brow furrowed.

"My family would be Bae and Henry. Only them. It is not of you concern as to why I want you to protect them. But you will protect them above all else from everyone and anything. If there is a choice between Emma and my son, you will protect my son." Rumple commanded him.

"Now you know that will never happen." Hook responded with an eyebrow raised. "If there is a choice between Emma and your son, I will protect Emma."

"That is where you are wrong!" Rumple laughed, "you will protect my family or you will without a doubt lose yours."

"Lose mine? Are you mad, I don't have a family." Hook snapped. His patience was growing shorter by the second.

"Oh but you do, you silly boy." Rumple chastised him and gestured around at Emma, Charming and Snow. His stomach clenched at the thought of any of them being killed. The demon was right; Emma and her parents had become his family on this journey. Her mother, Snow, treated him with care, even when he didn't deserve it. Her father, Charming, tolerated him, they worked together as a team the whole time they had been in Neverland. Emma got a lot of her traits from her parents and his feelings for her slipped over to include her family. They may not see him as such, but it did not change the fact that he felt that they were a part of him now. The realization staggered him. He had something worth losing now.

"If I do this for you, what then? Will our deal be done?" Hook croaked out of his dry throat.

"Yes, it will, in fact you will never have to set your eyes on me again." Rumple promised seriously with no trace of his glee.

"I will protect your family." Hook consented.

"With your life." Rumple added.

**Emma POV**

They arrived on the island as the sun started to set. The pink light of the fading sun bathed everything in its path. Emma climbed out of the rowboat and headed for the island. Her hand subconsciously went to the sword at her waist once more. It was still there.

She sighed as her gaze fell on the mountain about a mile off shore. It was in that mountain that her son was being held. They traveled light tonight; it was a rescue mission this time. No more scouting. They knew where Henry was. She looked to the sky and saw two stars appear the first of the night. The second star to the right and straight on till morning, she absently mouthed. She wondered how exactly they would return to their home after they rescued Henry. They hadn't talked about how they would get back, although she was sure there must be a way. After all both Killian and Neal had left before and Neal had ended up in their world.

Killian had been brooding for the last hour. Something had gotten under his skin in the time they all started to get ready to come to shore. If she had to put bets on it, she would say it was Mr. Gold. He must have told him what the favor was he wanted. _Perfect timing_, she silently groaned.

"Everything alright?" Emma asked as she walked up to Killian, allowing her fingers to intertwine with his for a moment. She squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"Yes, love, lets go get your son." Killian responded with a sad smile.

**A/N - Well this doesn't look good. I'm sorry to leave you like this. (Not really, but we can pretend.. lol) I will update again on Wednesday. =D Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites, every time I see one it makes me smile. You guys are the best.**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N - Thank you for the Reviews, Favorites and Follows. They make me feel incredibly humble that you like my writing enough to take time and do any of that. I just want to hug you all! **

**I own none of the characters. A special thanks to my Beta, Angelfan984, she really helped me get through the last chapter so that this chapter could actually happen. If there are any errors remaining it is probably because I changed something, so they are completely mine. ;D**

**Chapter 13**

They came upon the camp of the Lost Ones around midnight. Emma's eyes scanned the side of the mountain for her son but he wasn't among the boys that were asleep near the fires. She motioned for the others to spread out in the darkness to search for him. Killian followed Neal into the darkness around the right side of the camp while her mother and Regina followed her father and Philip around to the left. That only left Mulan, Mr. Gold and herself to sneak into the camp. She motioned them to follow her.

Emma stepped lightly among the sleeping boys checking their dirty faces for Henry's in case she missed him when she looked from afar. Mulan followed close on her tail and Mr. Gold thread his way through another group of boys.

Henry wasn't here. Her disappointment was palpable. She felt her shoulders slump in defeat. She was so sure they would find him.

"Emma" Mulan whispered in the darkness "what is that over there?" she pointed at a covered opening on the ground.

Emma's heart beat faster as her hope reignited. She rushed to the opening and used the butt of her sword to break the lock holding it closed. The noise echoed off the side of the mountain loudly and she winced. They pulled the cover off of the opening, to reveal a hole with a ladder leading down into darkness.

"Tell the others." Emma whispered to Mulan as she climbed into the hole and started to descend into the darkness alone. The last thing she saw was Mulan rushing off into the darkness to find the others.

Emma could hear distant crying from below and she picked up her pace. Her fingers slipped from the rungs and she fell down the remaining ten feet. Emma landed hard and loudly on the dirt floor. The breath left her lungs in a rush and her vision blurred.

"Mom? Is that really you?" she heard a voice in the darkness say.

"Henry?" Emma thought aloud not sure she really heard him. Or if maybe the hit on her head had done more damage than she felt.

"Mom!" Henry exclaimed, running to her side.

"Henry!" she repeated as she turned and gathered him to her. She squeezed him tightly. But she knew they couldn't remain here too long. "We have to get out of here."

They would have to continue their long awaited reunion somewhere safer. Emma could hear the whispered voices of Killian and Neal above them in the hole. Mulan had at least found them. She sighed in relief.

"We can't leave the others." Henry cried.

"Others?" Emma asked in confusion, looking down at him.

"The lost boys, there are 5 of them. They were taken from their homes because Peter Pan was looking for me." Empathy washed over Emma as she thought about the others who were yanked from their families. But her priority was her own son.

"Henry we don't have time, we have to get you out of here now." Emma cried.

"No, I am not going to leave them behind, they need us to save them. We are the hero's." Henry argued. Her son, always wanting to do the right thing, she thought.

"Henry" Emma begged. "Please we will come back for them."

"Then you will have to come back for me too, because I'm not leaving without them." He answered simply as only a child could. He crossed his arms and stood his ground.

Killian landed on the ground next to her, Neal a second behind him. She felt Killian's gaze on her to reassure himself she was still okay, and then he focused on her son.

"Dad!" Henry cried and flew into his arms. "I thought you had died!"

"I'm here. We will get you home safe." Neal promised as he hugged Henry tight.

"Come on lets go." Killian urged "we need to get the boy to safety."

"I'm not leaving" Henry broke in "not without the others."

"Others?" Neal and Killian echoed.

"There are five other boys here," Emma informed them. "Henry has refused to leave without them."

"Well, we can make you" Killian voiced to Henry bending down to his level. He knew however, that Henry took after Emma in the stubborn department. "But, where are these other boys that you speak of?" he said as he glanced around.

"They are in here, this way." Henry instructed and grabbed onto Killian's arm to lead him to the boys.

They disappeared around the corner at the other side of the small cave they were in, Emma and Neal stood and stared after them for a minute.

"Right. After you." Emma muttered as she motioned for Neal to go ahead of her. Neal ran his hand through his hair and followed after them. They both knew they had very little time.

The boy held Hooks hand and led him down the dark hall towards the sound of children crying. His stomach clenched at the memory of handing Bae over to the lost ones for this same fate. Guilt urged him forward, even when he knew they had a better chance of escaping with out five additional crying boys to worry about. He just couldn't turn his back on these boys, he wasn't the same man he had been when he did it to Bae. Emma had changed him and he was determined to be the good man that she needed him to be.

"They are right up here." Henry pointed at a door that looked like it had been carved into the mountain. Hook stepped around Henry and pulled the door open. The room had six cots in it and not much else. There was a single candle lit in the middle of the room. The edges of the room remained in darkness. The boys looked up as he opened the door and cowered in fear. They couldn't be older than 9 or 10, he thought. Henry was the oldest out of all of them. He looked at the boy and saw Emma's determination in his stance and the set of his jaw. Henry had meant it when he said he would not leave with out these boys.

"Get up boys. Let's go." Hook urged the boys and they shrank back, belatedly he realized he had gestured towards the door with his hook. He repressed a sigh and addressed Henry "Can you get them to come with us?"

"He is here with my Mom and Dad to rescue us. He won't hurt you I promise, but we need to hurry before Pan and the shadow return." Henry explained urgently.

Hook's eyebrow rose "Where is Peter Pan and his shadow tonight?"

"He said he had to get something from our world to complete the ritual." Henry responded.

"The ritual? What kind of ritual?" Hook asked in concern. This wasn't good. It only served to fuel the need to get out of here, quickly.

"He wanted to sew the shadow to me, because I have the heart of a true believer. It would give the evil thing a form, and since I am a true believer it will take over my whole mind and body." Henry stated "But none of the lost ones know how to sew and he did not have the thread, and he said he needed a Wendy bird that would do the sewing for him. He has been searching for his Wendy bird since I was brought here." At Hook's blank look, Henry continued. "A Wendy bird is a girl he brought to Neverland a long time ago, time isn't the same here and I don't think he realizes that Wendy is probably old now if she is still alive. He thinks he will find her and have her do his sewing for him like she did for him in the book."

"The Peter Pan book? The one that I am a villain in?" Hook inquired cautiously.

"Oh no, not that book," Henry laughed, "I have a book in Storybrooke that has everyone's true stories in it, including yours."

There was a book that had his true story in it? Was he a villain in that book as well as the one that Regina had left him? His hand absently rubbed his bottom lip in thought.

The boys stood up and gathered in the middle of the room, the smallest held a tattered teddy bear in his small grip, on closer inspection the boy was probably no older than 7.

"You boys will need to be silent in our escape, no crying or whining, we will play a game to see who can stay silent the longest. The one that wins can have a pie all to himself once we are all to safety." Hook bribed the boys. Henry smiled up at Hook, thankful that he was on his side.

Emma and Neal entered the small room as he addressed the boys. Emma almost laughed as she heard him bribe the boys. It was silly but effective. Her and Neal were able to take the hand of two boys and lead them from the room after the boys agreed to the game. The smallest boy with the teddy bear and Henry were the only ones left in the room. Hook gestured for them to leave the room ahead of him and the small boy ran to him and grabbed onto his hook with his free hand, his teddy bear tightly clutched in his other hand. Henry followed after his parents when he was sure the boy would follow.

They reached the ladder and Emma started to climb out of the hole first. The boys she had guided from the room followed her quickly up the rungs, afraid of being left behind now that they had the courage to leave. Neal and his boys followed after them, Henry paused as he grabbed the rung and grinned back at Hook like it was the start of a grand adventure. He definitely got that trait from his grandpa Charming, Hook laughed silently in amusement. A bit of tension leaving him.

Hook sent the young boy up the ladder ahead of him and followed shortly behind. He emerged from the hole to the dark and starry night. The Lost Ones still slept near the fires. Emma and the boys were waiting on the edge of the forest for him. He gently placed the cover back over the hole, hoping to not raise any alarms that the boys were gone until morning at the earliest.

They emerged into a small clearing and a chill went up his spine. His mind flashed back to the nightmare he had every night until Rumple had removed his curse.

_They were running hand and hand through the dark forest back to his ship with Henry, exhausted but happy, when Peter Pan himself appeared in front of them blocking their path. Emma thrust Henry and him behind her prepared to use her magic to save them, which is when Peter Pan reached out and ripped her shadow from her body leaving her screaming in pain as she fell to the ground. "NO!" He screamed as he threw himself down to the ground next to her, both Peter Pan and Henry forgotten in his fear._

Hook shook his head to clear it of the thoughts, but he couldn't shake the ominous feeling. This wasn't his nightmare; Neal and five other boys were with them. He could see his ship from the rise of land they were on in the clearing. They were so close to freedom, to returning home. He briefly thought of the others, had they made it back to shore yet? Were they still in the forest somewhere? He had told Mulan to round them up and send them back to the ship, so that they would have a quick get away once they had Henry. Now he regretted his instruction, if they were going to run into trouble they would need all the help they could get. The Lost Ones were fierce fighters they fought like rabid dogs.

Hook heard a twig snap to his left and he turned in that direction to see Peter Pan standing about 10 feet away from their group with a broken stick held in his hands. He gestured the boys to move behind him and drew his sword to face the Pan.

Peter Pan had a cocky grin on his face. "So we meet again Hook!" he crowed as he dropped the sticks to the ground and drew his sword. "On guard!" he sang in glee.

Hook took his stance and blocked Pan's strike. Neal stepped into the fight with his sword drawn. Hook looked at him in surprise and gave him a silent nod.

"Two against one, bad form pirate!" Peter Pan cried, his good mood gone.

The shadow swooped down at them from the sky aiming for Henry. Hook grabbed onto Henry's foot to keep the shadow from taking him. Neal continued to fight with Peter Pan. Emma urged the other boys to the tree line towards the ship. Then she pulled her sword out and swiped it at the shadow's arm that held Henry. It passed through the shadow's form and the shadow focused his attention on Emma, as he dropped Henry on top of Hook. With a grunt, they hit the ground.

Emma was in real trouble and he went to help her when he saw that Neal was pinned to the ground by Peter Pan. He hesitated for an instant before he made good on his deal and went to save Neal. Hook had to have faith that Emma could handle the shadow with her magic. Peter jumped away from Neal and faced Hook as he crowed loudly.

Peter Pan reached his hand towards Hook to rip his shadow from his body in glee. Hook cringed in anticipation of the pain and swung his sword wildly towards where Pan stood. His hand latched onto Hook's shadow and started to tear his shadow from him. Pain swept like fire through his body.

"Not so fast dearie" Rumple said as he appeared behind Pan and used magic to throw him against a tree. Hook slipped to the ground, breathing heavily, hoping the pain would soon be over. Peter Pan's form slumped against the tree. Hook looked up at Rumple as he stood above him. All he could feel was white-hot pain where part of his shadow no longer touched his body.

"I did as you asked demon, have you come to kill me after all?" Hook gasped out through his pain. The sounds of Emma fighting off the shadow drifted on the wind. But there was nothing he could do in his position.

"Oh no Hook, quite the opposite, you passed my test." Rumple told him.

Hook collapsed back to the ground unable to do anything else. His very soul felt as if it had started to be torn from him when Peter Pan started to rip his shadow from him. His last thought was of Emma and her family. She had Henry back. He did was he said he would do. Hook gave himself permission to pass out as his world went dark.

**A/N - Sigh... I'm speechless.. who would have guessed Rumple would save Hook? ;D Hope you liked this chapter. I will be posting 14 on Thursday.** **If you haven't read it already go read my Beta, Angelfan984's, one shot s/9471267/1/No-Talking It is really good, you should all review it so we can get more writing from her. lol **


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N - Thank you Angelfan984 for beta'ing this for me. I wouldn't have gotten to this chapter with out your suggestions. As always any errors that may still be in the work are 100% mine. Thanks for reading.**

**Chapter 14**

"Killian!" Emma screamed her golden magic bursting from her, bathing the whole clearing with it's light. The shadow screamed in agony and burned away. She ran for Killian's still form. His breath was shallow, his heartbeat slow, but he was still breathing. There were no obvious injuries on his still body.

Moments later the clearing was full of Lost Ones. Emma pulled Henry behind her and told him to stay by Killian. She pulled her sword from its sheath and faced the boys. Neal and Mr. Gold stood on either side of her, Neal had his sword out and Mr. Gold had magic sparking between his hands. They all moved at once. Gold took out four of the boys with a magic fireball while Emma and Neal fought off the others. They were vicious in their attacks and her arm was sliced in a couple places from their swords. She felt the burning pain of a blade slicing into her side. Her blood flowed freely down her arm and slide to the ground, but still she fought on. She couldn't give up, she wouldn't.

The fight was over in what felt like minutes (or hours) she wasn't sure. The Lost Ones scattered across the ground.

Emma returned to Killian's side, kneeling down. He was still out. Mr. Gold walked over to them and looked down at them. "He will live Ms. Swan, he will probably have pain for a while until his soul mends itself, but he will live."

Relief flooded through her body. "Thank you." Emma whispered in the darkness.

"Don't thank me dearie he is the one that fulfilled our deal. He kept my son and grandson safe tonight. That was all that was needed." Mr. Gold explained. There was movement behind him in the darkness before she could warn him Peter Pan was on him. Peter Pan crowed in glee.

"You have taken my shadow from me, so I will take one of yours from you!" Peter cried. He jumped from Gold and stalked towards Neal his dagger out in his hand. "I want yours." He pointed his dagger at Neal. As Peter Pan stalked towards him, Neal pulled his sword back out of the sheath, ready to defend himself.

Emma was motionless in the grass next to Killian and her son. Henry tried to get up to run to his Dad and Emma grabbed his hand to hold him back. "Henry no! There isn't anything you can do to help him." Emma said helplessly.

"No but you can! You can save him! Mom, he will die without his shadow, I've seen it happen to Lost Ones that make Peter Pan angry." Henry begged her. The sorrow reflecting in his eyes cut her to the core. She shook her head at her son. There wasn't anything she could do for Neal now. "You can't just let him die!" He screamed at her.

"Henry, the—there isn't anything I can do." Emma replied brokenly, looking up at him. The last thing she wanted to do was let any harm come to Neal but right now her priority was Henry and Killian.

Mr. Gold appeared between his son and Peter Pan as Peter brought his dagger down to rip Neal's shadow from his body. He caught Gold's shadow on his swipe down and Gold crumpled to the ground gasping as his skin changed back to normal. Emma watched in horror, as Rumple became Mr. Gold once more.

Peter crowed in delight at his feat. "I've done it! I've taken your shadow for my very own." Then he flew into the dark sky with the shadow in tow. His crows echoed in the clearing long after he was gone.

"Papa!" Neal screamed as he grabbed onto his father's shoulders. Gold gasped out in pain. "No! Papa, don't leave me! You can't leave me again!" he cried his emotions breaking free.

"Bae, listen, I – I don't have mu—ch longer." Gold gasped out, reaching up to touch his cheek. "Don't let revenge rule your life, let go of past regrets, and don't try to change your destiny. It can't be changed. If I had done those things you would have been spared this pain." He looked towards Emma, Killian and Henry as he paused to catch his breath. He wanted to apologize to them for everything but he needed to say more to Neal.

"Shhh, don't talk, save your strength. We will get you back to the ship and you can heal yourself. Everything will be okay." Neal pleaded with him, trying to convince himself that he was speaking the truth. Looking into his Father's eyes though and seeing the light die out, he knew better. He just refused to accept his imminent death as fact.

"This is my undoing, the boy, Peter Pan was my undoing." Gold laughed. "Pieces of the future can be read, but not all of it. The boy was Peter Pan, not Henry." He rambled.

"Papa – Please –" Neal broke off unable to finish his thought. "I love you Papa, I just got you back. I can't lose you now."

"Bae, I've always loved you. Everything I ever did was for you." Gold breathed out, taking his final breath. His eyes slid closed and his body moved no more.

Neal collapsed over his father's still form and sobbed at his loss. Emma hugged Henry close to her in sorrow and relief. They stayed like that in the clearing until the sun started to rise. The boys that they had rescued ventured from the trees and huddled close after the fighting was done. Killian slowly regained consciousness, still obviously in pain.

Her father came through the trees followed by Phillip shortly after the sun was completely up. He ran to her side, the fear showing plain on his face. While Philip went to Neal and Gold's still body.

"We thought we lost you. We thought we lost you all." He confessed hugging her tightly to him until she gasped in pain. Although it hurt, nothing felt better than being hugged by her Dad who was okay. Charming drew back in concern, checking her for injuries. "We need to get you all back to the ship. You need this cut taken care of." He commanded. Then his eyes fell on Mr. Gold's still form. "What happened?"

"We were attacked by Peter Pan and the shadow. Followed by the Lost Ones. When we thought we had won, Peter Pan came back and tried to take Neal's shadow. Gold got in the way at the last minute and Pan took his instead. Then he flew off with it." Emma explained in a detached manner. Killian grasped her hand in comfort. "I thought he couldn't be killed, that only the dagger could kill him."

"I didn't think he could be killed either." Her father agreed honestly.

-

**Hook POV**

Hook leaned heavily onto Charming as he led him back to his ship. The pain crashed over him in waves, threatening to take him under again. "Thanks, Mate," he thought he murmured but no response came, maybe he had only thought it. Emma had the lost boys and her son safely ahead of them, while Neal and Philip brought Rumpelstiltskin's body back to the ship.

He had been stunned to wake and find that the demon was dead. But other than that single emotion, he had felt nothing more for his death. The joy he thought he would have at the demons true death didn't come. The release of guilt for letting Milah die that day didn't come either. The guilt compounded within him when he pictured himself choosing to save Neal instead of Emma. Everything turned out fine, he told himself over and over again. Emma still lived.

"Easy, Hook." He distantly heard Charming say to him. Easy what? He thought in confusion. "We are almost back to the ship." The words didn't make sense to his ears. Before he could voice his confusion the next thing he knew he was waking up as they put him into his bed. How did he get here?

Time passed slowly. The only way Hook knew that it was passing was by the way the sun shined on the walls of his cabin. He felt Emma put a wet rag on to his forehead. Parts of conversation drifted over him, like clouds in the sky. He couldn't touch any of them and if he came to close to the surface all he felt was pain. It felt like days passed in the haze of pain and wakefulness, but it could have been hours.

Hook groaned in pain as he finally woke up. His room was empty of people and he hurt down to his soul. It felt like he had been hit by one of those fast moving vehicles again. Only he couldn't see any visible wounds and he wasn't chained to his bed. Those were positives all around.

His cabin door opened slowly. He looked over to see Emma's boy and the young boy with the ratty teddy bear enter his quarters. The boy needed a new one, he thought distractedly. He tried to greet them as though his whole body wasn't on fire with white-hot pain.

"Lad's, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" he managed to get out without gasping.

Henry took the boy by the hand and they came close to where he was laying.

"He wanted to see you." Henry explained as he gestured to the boy. They young boy looked up at him shyly, a small smile on his lips.

"I'm Tommy." He announced like Hook had asked for his name. "Thank you for saving me." After Tommy got that out he fell silent and stared at him. Was he supposed to say something? He suddenly wished he had more experience with children. The one time he had a chance to learn, he had majorly screwed up. He was at a loss for words and stared silently back at the boy.

"Can I have that pie now?" Tommy asked. "I was the quietest, although Robert says he was the quietest. But he wasn't, I heard him talk." He said. Did the boy have the memory of an elephant? So much had happened since he had bribed the kids with the pie.

"You can all have pie." Hook said with a smile, hoping to stop any arguments that would arise from only one of them getting pie. "What is your favorite kind?"

"I really like banana pie." Tommy responded, indicating that he was completely satisfied with Hook's decision. Henry watched their interaction with an intelligent eye, remaining silent. The boy seemed more mature than his age should allow for. He met his gaze and offered him a smile. He was more than grateful to Hook for helping his Mom find them all.

-

Hook found himself suddenly awake, his room dark and silent. The filtered light of the moon was the only light in the room. His body was on high alert something had woken him, but he was unsure what. He slowly reached for his hook that was on the bedside table, his movements silent and sure. He kept his breathing normal, as if he was still asleep.

A small voice came out of the darkness followed by the padding of little feet. "I had a nightmare and I can't sleep." Hook instantly recognized the voice as Tommy's. He placed his hook back on the table when he realized he wouldn't need it.

Hook released a sigh of relief "Tommy was your name, right lad?" at the boy's nod he continued, "Well up with you." He said patting the empty space of the bed next to him. He wondered in that moment where Emma was. She was better suited for this sort of thing. But seeing as Tommy sought him out, he refused to let him be alone and scared. "You can sleep here and I will keep the nightmares at bay." He told him as he remembered many sleepless nights as a boy after his father had abandoned him on that ship.

The boy scrambled up onto his bed, his teddy bear clutched tightly in his fist. He had needed no more encouragement, before he settled down next to him, his eyes wide in the dark.

"Don't worry lad we will get you home safe and sound to your mum's waiting arms." Hook promised.

"My mom is an angel now. That's what my foster mom told me. That she had to go to heaven and be with my daddy and Katie." Hook swallowed down the emotions welling up of him. Tears threatened to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Well, Tommy then I will keep you safe." He vowed, "You've nothing to fear, sleep now."

Hook laid staring up at his ceiling long after the boy slept. While his emotions churned in his chest.

**A/N -I am continually amazing by the response to this story. You guys are the best. I am thankful that you take the time out of your day to read along. It means a lot to me. Thank you for all of the reviews, favorites, and follows they are awesome. **

**Isn't Hook sweet with Tommy? Sigh. I wanna see a Daddy!Hook. **


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N - Angelfan984, thank you for beta'ing my stories for me. If there are any errors in this chapter they are completely mine, I tend to change things... lol**

**Chapter 15**

Emma returned to Killian's cabin after grabbing a quick bite to eat and checking on Henry to make sure he was still doing okay. Henry and the boys had been sleeping in a pile of tangled limbs. She wasn't convinced that it was completely comfortable, but at least they slept.

She quietly opened Killian's door and slipped into his room only to stop in shock as a thread of moonlight fell softly across his bed. The young boy, Tommy was curled up on his side holding his teddy bear to his chest and cuddled as close as he could get to Killian's side sound asleep.

When she entered the room, Killian's blue eyes fell on her and he smiled. "He had a nightmare." Killian said softly even though she hadn't asked.

Her eyebrows rose, "He came to you?"

"Well love, given the condition I am in, I certainly didn't get out of bed and seek him out." Killian responded hurt by her doubt.

"That isn't what I meant." Emma responded. "I meant that he hasn't really talked to anyone but Henry. He sticks to him like glue. I just figured he would have gone to Henry…" she trailed off. "Look I don't want to fight. How are you feeling?"

"I've felt better."

Emma took a seat in the window seat and faced him. "Why don't you get some more rest? I will be here if you need anything." He nodded and closed his eyes once more.

Emma let her thoughts drift over the last few days since they had rescued Henry. The boys seemed to adjust to being on a pirate ship very well. Henry continued to learn to steer the ship with Grandpa Charming, Tommy right on his heels the whole time. He talked about it as only a child could with excitement shinning in his eyes.

They had put Mr. Gold to rest in the sea. It was the only type of funeral they could give him. Neal was dealing with his grief and said very little unless he was being strong for Henry. He was the only exception for Neal. At least he had someone.

Regina had been over joyed when they had brought Henry back to the beach; she held him tightly and kissed his head. Everyone seemed to avoid the fact that Peter Pan was still out there and he had the shadow of the Dark One. Would that shadow be stronger than the last? She wasn't sure, and they didn't have a way home. Neal didn't know how he got out of Neverland. He said it just 'happened'. If there is one thing she had learned lately is things don't just happen. They just had to find a way. She hadn't been able to talk to Killian about it, because he really hadn't been awake. He drifted in and out of consciousness and when he was awake, he was in pain. She had tried to use her magic to heal what ever was wrong with him, but it didn't do anything. Just as when she tried to stop Peter Pan from trying to take his shadow in the first place. Her magic didn't touch what he did.

Emma was tired. Her mom had urged her to get some sleep, but when she tried she would just lie there and stared at the ceiling. The combination of Emma's worry about Killian's recovery and keeping Henry safe would not let her sleep. Then she would find herself checking in on Henry to make sure he was still okay and back in Killian's room watching his face as he slept. Like she was doing now. His face was more peaceful this time. He seemed more relaxed. That would make Henry happy she thought. He had checked on him a lot over the last few days. She was glad that Henry had taken to Killian so well. After a while she found her eyes drifting closed. When she opened them again the room was bright with the sun and her neck hurt like hell from the way she slept on it.

She reached her hand up to her neck and started to work the kink out of it. As she glanced at the bed she sat up slowly. Tommy was sitting cross-legged on the bed with his teddy bear in his lap and some breakfast on the bed in front of him. Basically breakfast was just a piece of fruit and some dried jerky. But it was better than an empty stomach. Hers chose that moment to remind her of how hungry she was. Killian sat on the bed next to the boy; he was reclined against the headboard. Sitting up for the first time since they had rescued Henry and the other boys. Relief flooded her that he was getting better. Her eyes swept over his form, soaking in the fact that he looked like he would be all right.

"Ah, I see you are awake, love. Snow brought us some breakfast, but we let you sleep." Killian addressed her. She uncurled her feet from under her and walked over to the bed. She leaned over him and gave him a soft kiss.

"Ugh! No kissy face in front of me!" Tommy complained. It brought a smile to her lips that were still resting on Killian's. She placed one last soft kiss on his mouth before standing back up. "I'm going to find Henry." He said in disgust climbing down from the bed with his piece of fruit and teddy bear held in his arms. Tommy left the room in a hurry not wanting to see more 'kissy face' as he had called it. Emma laughed out loud for the first time in days and climbed up to sit beside Killian on the bed.

"Feeling better this morning?" she inquired.

"Aye, much better, I may be back to ravishing you in few days." Killian grinned at her.

"A few days." Emma teased with a faked pout. He leaned over and nipped her bottom lip gently with his teeth.

"None of that." Killian said against her lips. He pulled back a little and looked at her, as a mischievous smile graced his mouth. "I am afraid that I don't speak child and I may need a demonstration of what this 'kissy face' is that Tommy referred to so that I don't accidentally offend the lad at a later time." Emma laughed again and placed her lips back on his in a lingering kiss, which Killian deepened quickly and pulled her to his arms. His hand grazed her cheek holding her tenderly while he kissed her. "Mmmhh, I've missed you." He murmured his forehead touching hers. Something was bothering her. His eyes searched hers for answers.

"Why didn't you tell me what Gold wanted from you?" Emma whispered afraid of the answer. "I thought we were a team."

Killian let out a sigh. "I didn't want to worry you. You would have been distracted if you knew. It could have jeopardized rescuing Henry. I just wanted you to have your family back."

"Killian, YOU are part of that family too. I choose you. I will always choose you. Don't scare me like that again."

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you. I have always chosen you. Even Cora saw it back in the Enchanted forest. It killed me to not be able to choose you; I thought I was going to lose you. But if I would have saved you and Bae died, I would have lost you. The Dark One threatened to kill you and your parents if I didn't do as he requested." Hook admitted with sadness.

"That sounds like Gold. He did the same to me, to make me go with him to find his son. Then you followed us." Emma shook her head remembering her fear when she saw him in New York, the stupid pirate.

"I followed you because I knew what the Dark One was like." Killian chuckled at her vexed expression. "Come here." He said as he pulled her into his arms again holding her as if he would never let her go again. She cuddled closer. "You have one hell of a way of proving you like someone if the hit over the head was any indication though. Not to mention chaining me to the radiator" He added as an after thought. Of course, this brought on thoughts of how she could tie him up at a later point. That which he would enjoy a hell of a lot more than when he was tied up in New York.

"I left you your hook. I knew you'd get out." Emma replied.

"Well I thought you hated me." Killian smirked as he teased her. She responded by rolling her eyes at him.

Killian's door opened cutting off any reply she would have made and her dad came into the room. He looked from Emma to Killian before saying "Feeling better?"

"Aye." He responded.

"Good we have things to talk about. Like how to get back to Storybrooke." Charming paused "You do know how to get us home don't you?"

"In theory I do." Hook ventured. "I had Bae sent there when he left Neverland but I went to the Enchanted forest. So I do not know the way completely. Only that pixie dust from a fairy was needed to make him fly. Something about second star to the left and straight on till morning. I wasn't going there so I didn't pay attention. I only wanted to return Bae to his family like he had wanted."

"You mean 'second star to the right and straight on till morning'? Like in the book?" Emma asked confused.

"No, Emma, it makes sense it would be backwards to get back home." Charming answered before Killian could. "So where do we find a fairy to give us pixie dust?"

Killian visibly swallowed. "Now that is the hard part— You see the fairies don't like me much. They can be vengeful things. They don't like anything that is prettier than them. But – they do like children. They need them like air, because anytime a child stops believing in fairies one will drop dead somewhere in the world." Emma saw the thought come to him. They would not use the kids to get pixie dust, it wasn't right.

"No." she disagreed with his yet voiced plan. The thought of Henry or one of the other boys being hurt didn't sit well with her. She couldn't believe that he would even bring it up. "We will not use the children that we just saved. It is too dangerous."

"Emma at least think about it." Her dad encouraged her. If it was their only way of getting home, Charming needed her to be open to it.

"I'll do it." Henry broke in as he came in the door he had obviously been eavesdropping. "I'll get the pixie dust from the fairies."

Emma's stomach dropped and she got up from Killian's arms, putting much needed distance between them.

**A/N - Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love all of you! Yes even you shy readers that haven't reviewed yet. Just following or liking this story means so much to me. **


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N - Thank for beta'ing Angelfan984, you are the best. =D Any errors that may still appear are completely mine. **

**Chapter 16**

Hook watched as Emma, Henry, Regina and Charming rowed toward land. Emma had been resistant to letting Henry try to get the pixie dust. But she gave in with urging from her father. She had withdrawn from him since then though. It hurt him more than having his shadow almost ripped from him, but he didn't know how to bridge the gap that was now between them. When he reached out to touch her, she would move slightly to the side and his fingers would graze air.

He hadn't known that the boy was listening or he would have been more careful with his words. Putting the boy in danger was the last thing he wanted to do. But he had known it was the only way to leave Neverland. Getting everyone home safely should be the focus, but it would mean nothing if the reason for them coming in the first place was lost.

His gaze followed their movements until they entered the forest. Then he pushed away from the gunwales and went back to the helm. It was habit that brought him standing with his hand resting on the wheel. They were anchored and wouldn't be leaving anytime soon, it was just a small comfort.

"They will be okay Hook." Snow voiced as she came up the stairs to stand next to him. He looked down at his hand, but couldn't find his voice to answer. "Charming will protect them." She said confidently.

"The fairies are fickle things, I only hope they find one that is in a good mood." Hook admitted. "Pan will not wait long to come after us. We need to leave Neverland soon."

"I know. Just have faith, everything will turn out right." Snow reached up to his shoulder and patted it reassuringly. He looked down to her hand on his shoulder, and then his eyes traveled back to her face and studied her. She truly believed the words she spoke. How could she have such faith?

-

Emma brought up the rear of their small group, Henry walked between Charming and Regina. He was probably safest there, she thought, they could both protect him. Killian had given her dad a bunch of different ribbons to bargain with the fairies. Apparently ribbons were like gold to the fairies. They loved anything that would enhance their beauty. She thought it was silly, like a ribbon could help with beauty, she snorted. Regina looked back at her in question and she waved her off.

"According to the map Hook gave me they should be up ahead. He said they would be in the trees. You ready Henry?" Charming told them as they walked.

"Yes." Henry answered holding up a handful of ribbons. "Think this will be enough for all the pixie dust we will need?"

"I really hope so." Regina muttered as she batted away a bug that was flying in front of her.

If there was one thing Emma had learned about Regina in their time in Neverland, she was not the camping type.

Charming held up a hand to stop them from moving forward. "Okay this is the area. Henry, we will be right here if you need us."

Henry walked past his Grandfather and called out. "Hello? Is there anyone here? I have some ribbons, I would like to trade them for pixie dust." A flutter of movement came down from a tree closest to where he was standing. She couldn't hear what the fairy said, it sounded like bells ringing to her ears. She looked at Regina and her dad and they both had the same perplexed looks on their faces, so she wasn't the only one. Henry didn't seem to have the same problem, thankfully.

"I need a lot of pixie dust to fly a ship to my land." Henry explained with tinkering of bells as a response. "You can have all of these ribbons if you have enough for me." He held out the ribbons to the flying fairy. The fairy flew closer as if to inspect them and then the bells started again and more fairies joined her surrounding Henry. Emma put her hand on her sword and started to draw it out. Her dad placed his hand over hers and stopped her movements with a shake of his head. She pushed the sword back into the sheath but kept her hand on it ready to pull it out if she needed it. Regina seemed to be as on guard as she was, it reassured her to know that Henry would have more than just her to protect him.

When Henry held out the pouch to carry the pixie dust out to the fairies she felt herself relax. He was doing it; her son was being a hero. She felt herself smile in pride at his bravery. The fairies took the pouch from his hand and flew up into the trees. They descended moments later with the pouch filled with sparkly glitter. She watched as Henry smiled in thanks and handed over the ribbons to the over joyed fairies. Then he came back to them with the proudest smile she had ever seen on his face. She felt tears of happiness prick her eyes and threaten to over flow. They were going home.

-

When they arrived back on the ship, the mood was jubilant and animated. She found herself swept up in Killian's arms the happiness everyone feeling flowing over. As she realized where she was, she awkwardly put distance between them. Although it had turned out all right he had put her son in danger with his suggestion. It hurt down to her soul but she just couldn't chance that he wouldn't do it again. She had to push him away. The look of hurt reflected back at her from his face tore at her. But she was resolute in her decision to put a stop to the relationship before she ended up hurt. It wasn't to late to do it, she tried to tell herself, but a part of her knew that living without him would always be painful. He held her heart after all.

Emma faked happiness for the rest of the evening before she could retire to her bunk. Back in the room with her parents again. Their happiness and love taunted her and she rolled over on her bunk restlessly. Sleep didn't come. She found herself checking on her boy, as she did every night since they had found him. He had grown close to the boys that had been held captive with him and they laid in a tangle of limbs every time she checked on them. Only tonight Henry was awake. He looked up at her from a book he held in his hands when she opened the door.

"Mom!" he said in surprise. "Hook let me borrow this book and he gave me the candle so I could read."

"He did, did he?" she asked as she came closer and ruffled his hair. He moved his head away from her hand in faked annoyance. She could tell he was secretly happy she was acting motherly.

"You know, you don't have to be mad at him anymore. I'm okay. Everything turned out okay."

She took in a slow breath before replying, "It's more than that Henry. You will understand when you are older."

"Well all I understand right now is that you are both in pain. You love him. He loves you. It is really simple." He said earnestly.

"Enough of that, don't worry yourself with it. Go to sleep now." She commanded as she pushed him down on his bunk and blew out the candle. It was only in the darkness she let the tear slip from her eye, before leaving the room.

She left his room and went topside. The deck was peaceful and empty. The night bright with stars she never saw at home. The thought of leaving the ship when they returned to Storybrooke sent another wave of sadness over her. She ran her hand along the railing. It was a gentle loving touch. Her love for the ship had grown with her love for Killian. They were both so much a part of her she wasn't sure how she was going to manage letting either one go. But her son was her number one priority. She couldn't have anything that would threaten his safety.

She walked over to the mast and leaned against it, her back sliding down the pole until her butt touched the deck. Then her head dropped into her hands and she let her tears fall.

**A/N - So I know a lot of you questioned Emma being mad at Hook. I truly think she would put her son's safety above everything including her own happiness. Right now she is just looking at the picture wrong. I'm sure she will come around. =D** **Thank you for all the love. You guys are the very best. {{Hugs}}**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - Angelfan984 puts up with me and beta's for me. Thanks a ton lady! **

**Chapter 17**

Hook watched Emma move about the deck, clearly ignoring him. She had been doing this for the last week or so. She never looked in his direction and went about as though he didn't exist. Maybe he didn't. The pain that he felt when Milah was ripped from his life was nothing compared to the pain he felt now. There were no smiles for him and no laughter. Seeing his love but not being able to touch her. It was torment. He closed his eyes and tried to bring to mind Milah as he had done so many times in the past. The image of her face didn't come. For the first time ever he couldn't see her. Instead blonde hair, shining green eyes, and her beautiful smile stared back at him, haunting him with her memory while she still lived right in front of him.

He was glad they were going back to Storybrooke today. Maybe distance would ease the pain. He would try anything that might work. Snow had tried to reassure him that Emma still loved him. That she just needed a little time to come to her senses as she put it. However, he wasn't so sure. She had made it perfectly clear that she didn't care anymore. Her actions were speaking to him loud and clear. If only he could shake her from his heart as easily as she seemed shake him from hers.

Henry and Tommy came bounding up the steps to where he was standing at the helm. They were both clearly excited to return home.

"Hook when we get back I want to take you to Granny's and get you a hot chocolate with cinnamon. It is the best!" Henry said cheerfully.

"Sounds good lad. Tommy, will you be coming too?" He asked as he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair.

He had grown rather attached to the little boy. Both of them had caught his heart actually. He had been teaching them both how to run a ship as a Captain would. Showing them the best knots for the various tasks on the ship. They were quick learners, soaking up everything he taught them like little sponges. It helped to distract him from the emptiness that had filled his heart with out Emma.

"Of course! I love whip cream." Tommy answered with excitement.

"Whipped cream?"

"Yeah, it is a sweet fluffy topping for the hot cocoa. Makes it extra good." Henry explained.

"Well, then I look forward to it." He smiled at the boys. Then they ran back down the steps to the other boys. The sound of play fighting drifted over to him minutes later. He would miss the activity that the kids brought to the ship. It occurred to him that for once in a very long time, he didn't feel lonely anymore. If he were being honest with himself, he would miss all of the people on his ship. Especially Emma, his thoughts never strayed very far from her

-

Emma covertly glanced up at the helm where Killian was standing. It hurt to look at him. It pained her to know that she couldn't touch him because her resolve might crumble. Obviously it was a pain she caused herself. But a needed one she told herself for the hundredth time in the last week. She had found herself poised outside his cabin door more times than she could count. Ready to go in and talk to him or hold him or something. Her thoughts never got past the going to him before she would turn herself around and go back to her room.

"Emma, honey, you need to talk to him." Her mom voiced catching her looking at him. "You need to work this out. He loves you. You love him. It really is that simple." She echoed Henry's words from the week before.

"It's not that simple, I have Henry to think about-"

"—And Henry happens to love him. I know you've seen Hook with him. He treats him like he is his own son."

Emma looked at Snow. She really had become her mom in every sense of the word while they had been in Neverland. Sure she was her best friend still, but they also had the new connection making their bond stronger. She was right, she was always right. Emma owed him an explanation for pushing him away. She looked back up at the helm and he was staring at her. Their eyes met for the first time in a week and held. Her magic sent a tendril towards him. Traitor, she thought to her magic. She seemed to have no control over it when they connected. The pain in his eyes mirrored her own and she wondered why she was doing this to them before it came back to her, Henry, he needed her.

The threat of Pan still loomed over them. He needed her protection. Peter Pan hadn't made a move since they had rescued the boys and he had stolen Gold's shadow. She hoped they made it out of Neverland without incident. They only had to wait till nightfall, and then they would sprinkle the dust on the ship and fly home. She hoped it was as easy as it sounded.

She gathered up her courage and headed up to where Killian stood. His eyes followed her movements hungrily. She came to a stop two feet from him.

"Hey." She breathed unsure what to say after avoiding him for so long. The last time they had talked she had been in his arms, before he put Henry in danger, she reminded herself. Her resolve strengthened her mouth formed a strained smile.

"Emma—"

"I owe you an explanation. I can't be with someone that puts my son in danger." He looked like he was going to talk and she held up her hand to stop him. "No, please let me finish. He is my first priority. He trumps anything or anyone that I want. You put him in danger with your words. I can't take the chance that you will do it again."

"Emma, love I wouldn't have spoken the words had I known he was there. You have to know that. I love you! I thought you loved me as well. But your walls are so damn high I'm not sure you ever truly let me in. If you love me, we can work through this, we are a team. Remember? Together we can face anything." His voice broke with emotion and she felt her resolve slip. Tears came to the backs of her eyes and she tried to hold them in. A tear slipped out and rolled down her cheek, he caught it with his thumb then gently brushed his hand against her face. "Och, Emma don't cry, we can get through this, just give me a chance."

"I—just can't." she cried and fled to her room.

Hook took only a moment before he followed her. He hoped Charming would take over the ship for him while he tried to patch things with Emma. He wasn't giving up on them. He had to fight for what he wanted and he saw she loved him. It was in her eyes. He couldn't let her do this to them.

He swung open her door and found her on her bunk sobbing. A pain blossomed in his chest. A broken heart was something he was quite familiar with and Emma was breaking his right now. He went to her and he pulled her into his arms. His hand smoothed her hair away from her face.

"Shh sweetheart. Everything is going to be okay." Hook whispered to her. "I want to protect you _and_ your family. I will do everything I can to keep you all from harm. That includes Henry!" he stressed the last part, trying to break through the walls she had up. Emma looked up at him her eyes were filled with hope. Before she shook her head 'no' at him.

But her magic wrapped around him, and he could feel the warmth of it on his back pulling him closer to her. Even if he wanted to he wasn't sure he would be able to move away from her. The calming glow of her magic pulsed around them. She looked at him her eyes wide. So she wasn't doing this on her own, he thought. He felt a smile spread across his face as her body and her magic betrayed her.

Hook bent his head to hers and slanted his mouth across hers. Offering all of himself with each movement of their lips. Emma deepened the kiss with a soft moan. Her magic tightened around them pulling him closer. Their tongues danced a slow languid dance only they knew. His hand ran up her side to her hair and back again. Trying to convince himself that this wasn't just another of his dreams. She was back in his arms and she was kissing him. He let his hook trail down her back and felt her arch into him. Then she was pushing him down onto her bunk and her long limbs moved over him to match up their bodies like two pieces of the same puzzle. He lay still awaiting her next move. She brought her head back down to his and took his lips in a searing kiss.

The tone of the moment changed from gentle and slow to frantic and starving in seconds. Her hands were under his shirts pushing them aside to explore his chest. His hand and hook making similar paths on her skin. They nipped at each other's lips. Pain dueled with pleasure and he gasped. The buttons on his vest fell to the floor in a shower of sound. He brought his hook up and tore her shirt off of her heated skin and she answered by pressing her hips into his and biting hard on his bottom lip. He flipped her beneath him and his lips traveled down her body sucking, biting, licking, kissing, he couldn't get enough of her.

He made his way down to her breeches and pulled them roughly off of her. She lifted her hips off of her bunk to help him. Sparks traveled along his skin where his skin met hers. He drew her legs apart and sucked her clitoris into his mouth. His teeth nipped her gently and her hips came off of the bunk pressing closer. She moaned loudly and her hand threaded through his hair holding him in place. His tongue darted out and started a slow exploration of her. He pressed his hook onto her stomach to keep her still as he brought her over the edge. Her juices filled his mouth and he continued his exploration. His hand snaked around her leg to hold her to him. Her hips moved with his mouth and little whimpers came from her throat. The wave of another orgasm crashed over her.

Hook brought his body over Emma's. His hand untied his breeches quickly and he lowered them only enough to free himself. Then he thrust into her in one swift motion. His head fell back as he felt her pulse around him. She placed her hands onto his butt and urged him to move, pushing his breeches down so that her hands met bare skin. He claimed her, his inner demon rising up and taking what it wanted. His lips devoured hers in a demanding kiss. She met him thrust for thrust. Emma could give just as well as she got. His climax hit him and all the desperation left him. She pulsed around him caught up in her own orgasm.

A smile spread across his face and he lifted his head to meet her eyes. She stared back at him before saying. "Killian, this doesn't change anything." He felt his whole being deflate with her finale words.

**A/N - Emma... what are we going to do with her? Thanks for the reviews I love each and every one of them. Favorites and Follows are amazing too. =D**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

It had been quite a while since she had been in Killian Jones's arms. It had been one month or thirty-one days or seven hundred and forty-four hours or way too many minutes to count. No matter how she phrased it, the last time felt like a lifetime ago. She went about her days in Storybrooke since they had come home avoiding the docks. Avoiding any proof that the pirate even existed. If she glimpsed a blur of black leather going around a corner she went in the opposite direction. If she thought she saw his raven hair in a crowd she vacated the area. When her mom or Henry or even her dad brought up his name she had the urge to stick her fingers in her ears and go 'lalalalalalala, I can't hear you.' She knew they all saw him, probably on a daily basis. Tommy had stayed on the pirate ship with him and Henry visited Tommy every day. She was glad Killian had someone to keep him company; it eased a tiny bit of the pain.

Funny enough, Regina and Neal had grown close on the ship. She had been so absorbed in her own little world she didn't realize they had even been talking. When he moved in at the mansion it surprised her. But it hadn't hurt her like him bringing Tamara to Storybrooke had done. She no longer felt anything for Neal. The regret she lived with for 10 years was gone. The loss and hurt that had been engrained in her life because of him was gone. Now she lived with the pain she had caused herself.

Emma was deep in thought when she walked in from one of those hot sticky days of summer into Granny's cool air. Her eyes closed and she took in a deep breath. When she opened her eyes she realized the diner was completely silent. All eyes were on her. Her hand went up to her ponytail to make sure her hair was in place and she glanced down at her clothes. In case this was one of those nightmares where she walked around without clothes on. She shuddered in remembrance of those horrible dreams that she had sometimes. Then she looked around at the faces staring at her. Gepetto sat in his usual place with August across from him. Archie sat at the counter, Ruby poised with a pitcher of lemonade on the other side of the counter. Dr. Whale sat next to Archie. They all stared at her. Then Ruby's eyes shifted behind her and to her right, her gaze rested on the tables behind Emma. She felt her stomach flip over. Instantly she knew who was behind her, she wasn't sure why she hadn't felt his eyes on her the minute she walked in the door.

In slow motion, she turned toward Killian sitting with her son and Tommy at the table by the window. He looked like hell, as though he hadn't been sleeping. Dark circles had formed under his eyes and he looked gaunt. She wondered if she looked the same because she certainly felt the way he looked.

"Mom!" Henry grinned, "Sit down and eat with us. We just ordered." The tension in the little diner eased at his words and everyone went back to their conversations.

"I—Uh—"

"Emma, please! I've missed you." Tommy voiced. She was going to make up an excuse that she had to get to the station. But at the hopeful look on his face she sat down across from Killian. His eyes searched her face, drinking in every detail like a man dying of thirst in the desert. She found herself doing the same with him.

"Hook—" she started his old moniker feeling foreign on her lips. "Uh—How have you been?" She wanted to kick herself as soon as the words left her mouth. How stupid could she be? He looked like hell. And her choice of name did not go unnoticed by him.

"I've been better." He replied shortly.

"Oh, I completely forgot!" Henry exclaimed breaking into the conversation. "Tommy and I promised to go over Grace's today for a visit. We are running late. Right Tommy?"

The panic rose in her at his words. She had been set up. Her son had set her up. She briefly wondered what the code name was in this operation and if Killian was part of it. She looked at Killian across the table from her and he just stared back at her. He may not have been part of it but he wasn't going to stop it.

Tommy shot out of his chair "Yeah!" he agreed as he picked up his new teddy bear off of the seat next to him. Well, Tommy was definitely part of Henry's plan.

"Henry." She said in warning. He happily ignored her and grabbed up his backpack leaving the diner with Tommy on his heels. She peeked up at Killian again taking her gaze from the tabletop. His intense stare was still on her. His blue eyes were sparking. He was mad. The maddest she had ever seen him and that was saying something, since she had witnessed him try to kill Gold.

"Hook—"

"Enough Emma. Just stop." Emma shrunk back at the tone of his voice. It was gruff and unkind. Not what she was used to from him but she knew she deserved everything he was about to say to her. "You've pushed me away enough. I can't do this anymore. Everyday I hope you change your mind. I hope you come to see me. I catch glimpses of you and you _run_ the other way. You _run_ Emma—from _me_—" his voice broke. He was letting her know how much her leaving him hurt like hell. She had inflicted the pain on him that she hated, that everyone had inflicted on her when she was younger which made her feel miserable. She watched his neck as he swallowed and then he took a deep breath and continued. "I've made a decision—I am leaving Storybrooke. Tommy and I are going to take my ship and sail out with tomorrows tide. You will no longer have to worry about running into me, and maybe just maybe I can move on with my life. Because this _life_ I have now is killing me."

Her mouth fell open in shock, her vision blurred from tears, but no words came. This is what she had wanted. Wasn't it? So why did it feel like he had just ripped her heart from her chest and crushed it into dust?

"Killian, you—you can't just leave, where would you go?"

"Does it matter?" he said, his voice tired. "I could fall off the face of the earth and you wouldn't care! You were the one person I thought I had on my side and it was all a lie."

"It wasn't a lie!" she cried. Emma felt panic begin to well in her chest at the thought of him leaving their little town forever.

"Tell yourself whatever lies you need to tell yourself to get you through the night." Killian sighed getting up from his seat and leaving the diner. He turned when he got to the door and looked at her one last time. "Good bye Emma." He needed to ingrain one more image of her into his brain before he left her behind.

She sat at the table and watched as he walked away through the window. The diner was silent as all eyes were on her once more.

-

Hook laid on his back on his top deck, his eyes on the stars. Tommy had gone to bed an hour before, the new teddy bear he had bought him clutched in his arms. The boy was like a son to him. He hadn't taken the news that they were going to sail out with the tide well. He had made friends here he had said. He didn't want to leave his new home. And oddly enough, Hook felt the same way. But he couldn't keep living this half of a life. Knowing that half of him lived and breathed just miles from his ship. He wasn't sure what he would accomplish by leaving; he only knew that it was the only way he might be able to move on. He laughed at his own thoughts seeing them for the lies they were.

He watched the stars move across the sky waiting for dawn. It felt like hours had passed when, his eyes caught on a flying boy and a shadow crossing in front of the full moon. He was on his feet and running for Emma's. Her apartment was only 5 blocks from where he was. He knew Peter Pan was here for Henry. He had to stop him. He had to protect Henry.

Hook flew up the steps and was banging on the apartment door in minutes. Surely he wasn't too late. Peter Pan couldn't have found Henry so quickly. The door swung open to a very pissed off Charming. He pushed past him and ran up the loft stairs to where he knew Henry slept. Charming was on his heels wanting to know what he thought he was doing. He ignored the prince and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Henry was still safe in his bed.

"Peter Pan and the shadow are here." He gasped out.

"What? How do you know this?" Charming demanded.

"How else do you think I bloody well know it? I saw them!"

"We have to tell Emma and Snow." Charming said as he ran back down the stairs calling for them.

Henry had woken up from the commotion and was rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He was sitting up in his bed looking to Hook in question. "Peter Pan found us?"

"I'm afraid so lad, but I am here, I will protect you." He promised him.

He turned to see Emma, Snow and Charming all coming back up the stairs. Behind him the window blew open and Peter Pan and his shadow flew in. Hook drew out his sword and put himself between Henry and Pan.

"You will have to come through me if you want this lad."

Peter Pan crowed and took out his sword to face him, he motioned the shadow to go after the others. Hook blocked all of the thrusts Pan came at him with. Then he went on the offense swinging at him with precise swipes of his sword. His sword made contact and Peter Pan cried out in pain. He tried to draw out his dagger and Hook knocked it from his hand with his sword. Hook took all of his pent up anger out on him going after him relentlessly. He got in a good jab and Peter Pan stumbled coming to his knees. He grasped his side; his hand came away soaked in blood. Hook took one finale strike down at Pan and he no longer moved.

Henry ran to Hook and grabbed on to his waist. He held the boy to him and turned towards the three fighting the shadow. Their swords and daggers were doing nothing.

"Emma, use you magic!" He called to her. She hesitated for a moment and then the room burst into golden morning light. The shadow exploded into a burst of dust and drifted down to the ground. The room fell once more into darkness and Emma approached them. She touched Henry's face and then looked up at him. Her arms came around both of them holding them both tightly to her. It was finally over.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She murmured into his neck. "I have been so stupid. Everyone told me I was wrong and my pride kept me from you. I'm so sorry."

"Shhh" was all he could get out through his closed up throat. "We are here now, it's not to late."

Henry wiggled out from between them and went to hug his grandparents. They smiled at them and took Henry down the stairs. Leaving the two of them alone. Emma pulled herself from his arms and looked at him.

"How will you ever forgive me?"

"It's already done love, I forgave you before it even began." He breathed and brought her in for a gentle kiss.

_The End_

**A/N - Sigh, so I could have made this story drag on by throwing more things in their path, but I didn't want to force it. I felt this was a good place to end it. I do have an epilogue that I will post on Friday. Hope you all enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed reading it. I learned a lot while writing this story and I feel I've grown as a writer. I hope you choose to check out my other stories that I am sure I will post in the future. I have another one started right now that is AU Hook/Emma. I actually think that one is better than this one. But that is because I am putting the little touches into it that I learned while writing this one. =D Thank you for the reviews, follows, and favorites you guys are amazing with all of your support. Hugs to all of you. Angelfan984 is my wonderful beta, but like I've said many times any mistakes are completely mine. =D**


	19. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

_1 year later_

Emma awoke to warm hands traveling up her body. She felt lips nuzzle at her breasts and faint whiskers brush against her neck before his mouth was on hers, kissing her awake.

"Mmmm" she breathed as she pressed her lips into his. Waking up to Killian with a hot chocolate in his hand was good, but this was infinitely better. He held onto her face with both hands and drew back from her. She opened her eyes with a languid smile on her lips. She looked up into Killian's beautiful blue eyes. "I love you with both your hands, but if I'm being honest, I miss your hook." She said huskily. They had found his hand in Gold's shop when they helped Neal and Regina clean it out. He had a lot of personal effects that belonged to many other town folk. His hand had been kept in perfect condition by magic Gold had cast on it. Emma had used her magic to reattach it to his arm. It had been strange for the first few months. But they both had gotten use to it.

"Well love that can be remedied. I still have the hook you know." He said with a wicked smile. Then he reached over to a drawer in the table and pulled out his hook and a pair of handcuffs.

"What are you going to do with the handcuffs mister?"

"Oh, I think you know what I'm going to do with the handcuffs my love. It's something your quite fond of." With that he clicked them closed around her wrist and quickly secured the other side to the bedpost.

"What about the boys?" she asked in concern.

"I heard them leave a few minutes ago. We have a little bit of time before they will be back." He purred into her neck.

Killian kissed his way around her body. Using the hook to trace the path he would kiss. Her blood warmed and moans left her mouth unbidden. He held her still with his hands putting the hook to the side. Then he slowly entered her. Worshipping her body with each stroke. She tried to urge him faster, but he kept up the slow rhythm. He loved to drive her wild before he gave into her demands. His hand came between them and rubbed her clitoris in gentle circles. Entering her fully before pulling almost all the way out, his body entering hers over and over again. The waves of her orgasm came slowly like his movements, before crashing over her. He thrust into her one more time and let out a low groan, taking her mouth in a kiss.

He moved off of her and released her wrists from the unforgiving metal. He had just covered their bodies with the blanket when the door opened. Henry and Tommy stood in the doorway. Emma felt herself go red. Killian's hand stopped her from sliding beneath the blankets to hide.

"Come on guys we are going to be late for the wedding." Henry complained before taking in the scene before him.

"What are you guys still doing in bed?" Tommy asked.

"Uh- I was tired, so I was resting." She blurted, remembering finding her parents in a similar situation a long time ago.

"I suppose Killian was helping you rest. Ugh! Mom we don't have time to make tacos right now." Henry said clearly remembering the same thing she had.

"Make tacos? I thought we were going to Neal and Regina's wedding?" Tommy asked confused and Emma could no longer hold in her laughter.

"Come on Tommy, they need to get ready to go. We will be up on deck." Henry told them before closing the door.

"Make tacos?" Killian asked as his eyebrow rose in question.

"Yeah. Henry and I walked in on my parents a long time ago and that was the first thing that came out of my mouth." She laughed.

"Mmmm, I'm suddenly craving tacos, maybe we could skip the wedding." He murmured his lips trailing a path down her neck. She laughed and pushed him off of her and stood up.

"Oh no buddy, we need to go to that wedding. It would only be right since they came to ours." She bent over and kissed his nose and he pulled her back down to the bed. "Mmmm, well maybe we have a few more minutes to spare." She breathed and melted into him.

"I love you, lass"

"I love you too." She answered.

**A/N - Posting this is so bitter sweet. It is how I've always planned to end this story. Although don't be surprise if some oneshots come up from it. I have a few in mind. Angelfan984 thank you so much for offering to beta for me what feels like forever ago. Everyone else ****_thank you_**** for reading the whole story and for sticking with me as I grow. It means way more than I could ever express in words. **

**What did you think of the story?**


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